Promises
by the-writer1988
Summary: Rose promised the Doctor she would never leave him, but found herself leaving of her own free will. Now her new life is disrupted as he comes crashing back, along with fiery red-head Donna Noble, who may be the most important woman in the universe. S4AU
1. Prologue

**A/N) Well, here we are. The start of another adventure. The sequel to CHOICES. Hopefully this will not disappoint!**

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**Title: **Promises

**Rating: **T

**Set: **Sequel to Choices.

**Summary: **Rose promised the Doctor she would never leave him, but found herself leaving the TARDIS at her own free will, now she finds her new life disrupted as the Doctor comes crashing back into her life along with fiery-red head Donna Noble who may just be the most important woman in the universe.

**Pairings: **Ten/Rose; Martha/Tom Milligan

**Characters:** Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, Sarah-Jane Smith, Jack Harkness, Tenth Doctor, Donna Noble, Francine Jones, Tish Jones, Clive Jones, Leo Jones

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**Prologue**

"_I know," he whispered. "If I could say it, Rose, I would...but I can't... my head is so screwed up that I need to piece things together before I can even think about stuff like that... "_

She felt guilty. She had left him alone to cope with the pain and mental torment he had gone through during his thirty month imprisonment with the Master. He had wanted her to stay but she had refused to, stating that she had needed to leave to sort herself out instead. But the Doctor had needed her.

She had stayed awake for half of the night thinking through what she had said. Several times she had been tempted to phone the Doctor, but then she realised she didn't know her mobile number off by heart and that the only one who did have her number was Martha, but her friend was asleep upstairs. Rose was curled up on the settee in the lounge of Martha's parent's house, a blanket covering her.

It was now morning, around six, but no one was moving that she could here. Usually she wouldn't even be awake herself but everything she had gone through in the last year had taken a terrible toll on her. She was used to sleeping lightly and keeping an ear open for trouble. The Jones family on the other hand had spent an entire year prisoners of the Master, and they were understandably tired. She didn't expect to see either of them awake for quite a few hours.

She contented herself to reading the papers that were still in the house from the day before, detailing Saxon's election victory in the papers. She was sitting at the kitchen table, sipping a glass of water when Martha walked into the kitchen, dressed in pink pyjamas, her black hair loose about her shoulders.

"You're up early," said Martha as she pulled out one of the other chairs and sat down.

"I couldn't sleep," replied Rose, looking down at the page she was reading.

Martha reached across the table and took her hand. "Are you okay?"

Rose sighed. "I dunno... I sort of feel..."

"Lost?" supplied Martha.

"Yeah," nodded Rose, "lost without the Doctor." She ran a hand through her tangled hair. "What can I do?"

"Tell you what, first thing tomorrow, we'll talk to everybody," suggested Martha. "And I mean everybody: Jack, Sarah Jane and maybe even track down Donna if we can."

"What good would that do?" shrugged Rose, meeting her friend's gaze.

"Maybe they can help you to decide what to do next," finished Martha. "Give you an idea of life after the Doctor."

Rose nodded, understanding what Martha was suggesting. "Yeah, that sounds good."

"Tomorrow then," smiled Martha, warmly.

**To be continued...**

**Please let me know what you think! I know it is a little short but it is a prologue! **

**I should warn readers that I will be starting a new job soon so updates will be slow in coming, but I hope the wait will be worth it! :)**


	2. One: New Opportunities

**A/N) **Thank you for the reviews so far. First, let me say that I am quite ahead with this fic at the moment, but for now I will continue to update weekly. I know where this fic is going, it is just a matter of writing it. I've had quite a few good writing days recently where I have made excellent progress. Secondly, I hope everyone will enjoy this fic :)

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**Chapter One: **New Opportunities

The following day Rose and Martha set out along the road taking the first bus after nine am into London before taking a train to Ealing where Sarah Jane Smith resided. For a Saturday morning it was quiet but the country was still in shock over the death of its elected Prime Minister, Harold Saxon. The truth about his true identity would never be known but it irked Rose that the country she loved was mourning for a man that had tried to enslave them all. No one save for a select few remembered the year that never was.

With Saxon's death the former Prime Minister had to step into his place and resume control while the dreadful situation was sorted out. An investigation was well underway by UNIT about Saxon but it would not reveal much. There were a few UNIT soldiers who would carry the memory of the year that never was, but could never speak about it. They were unlucky in that respect for they had seen dreadful things, and counselling wasn't even an option as it would probably mean they would be labelled as insane and locked up for the rest of their lives. And that was something that should happen to promising young soldiers who had excelled in all their skills – after all, the Master had picked them for a reason. Now they carried the memories of what should not have been.

As they left Ealing station Rose looked around them taking in the surroundings. It had been more than a year since she had visited her friend, and in that year that was no more, Sarah Jane had died, but now, with the reversal of time she had been given a new life, never remembering how she had died. But for Sarah Jane, the last time she had seen Rose and Martha had been only a few days ago, so it would be a pleasant surprise for her when they showed up on her doorstep.

"What are we going to tell her?" asked Rose. "I mean, she's gonna notice we've aged..."

"We tell her the truth," said Martha, "but not about her death because that never happened, but she deserves to know more or less the truth. And she'll be curious about the Doctor too."

Rose nodded accepting her friend's logic. They strolled towards Bannerman Road taking in the atmosphere. They had seen London pulled down and destroyed, but some of it had remained standing. Ealing had been one of the places that the Master had decimated and its people taken into slavery. As they walked along the road towards number thirteen, Rose remembered the sight of millions upon millions of Toclafane descending on the city, killing innocents all in the name of fun. She felt tears welling in her eyes and she struggled to control her feelings as they turned into Bannerman Road.

"Are you alright?" asked Martha, noting her friend's expression.

Rose nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yeah, I am."

"It's the memories, isn't it?" added Martha.

Rose did not reply, but she could tell Martha knew she had guessed correctly.

"Don't worry," said Martha, "I'm remembering it too."

They walked on in silence.

* * *

"Rose! Martha! What are you doing here?" Sarah Jane Smith was surprised to see the two companions when she opened the front door to her house. Since she had only seen them a few days ago, she had not been expecting to see them so soon. After the initial greetings she led them inside, where Sarah Jane made them a cup of tea and sat them down in her living room. Her son was out with his friends, Maria Jackson and Clyde Langer.

Sitting on the sofa, Sarah Jane clasped her hands together and looked them in the eyes. "I need to know before we discuss anything else, is the Doctor okay?"

"Yes," answered Rose. "He's back on the TARDIS, travelling without us."

Sarah's eyebrows rose as she considered the implications of what her friend had just told her. "You left him?"

Rose swallowed. "Yes. I will explain, but it is a very long story. And it will probably sound very unbelievable, but, I've changed."

"I can see you are much older in the face and eyes then you were a few days ago. But that can't have happened in the space of three days," said Sarah Jane. She was very observant, but it probably helped in her job as a journalist.

Martha shook her head. "A whole year has passed for us, but we suffered a lot. You are fortunate that you won't remember it. Only a few people will remember the Year That Never Was."

"We're getting ahead of ourselves here," interjected Rose. "I think it's best if we start from the beginning, from after we left you."

Sarah Jane sat back in her chair, crossing her arms and waiting for her two visitors to talk.

Rose cleared her throat and began to speak. She told Sarah Jane what had happened after they had reached UNIT; how they had launched an assault on the Prime Minister's residential home in the hope of finding the Doctor; how they had failed in that endeavour and had transported to the Valiant, only to be in time for the President's death and the Master's enslaving of the world. Martha then took up the story explaining their escape and subsequent year on the run, leaving out the important detail that Sarah Jane herself had been cruelly killed by the Master, before handing the reins over to Rose who continued in elaborate detail their return to Britain and their capture and defeat of the Master. Rose explained how destroying the Paradox Machine that had been built in the TARDIS had enabled the terrible year to be reversed and undone, the population forgetting it, and only those at the heart of the storm would remember it. Her lips were trembling as she fought to control the tears that threatened to pour out her eyes.

"I wanted to kill the Master, Sarah, I got hold of the gun and would have killed 'im if I hadn't realised I'd changed for the worse... I would've killed him, but I didn't. I left him; I left the Doctor to find myself..." She shook her head, wiping the leaking tears away with the palm of her hand. "I'm here 'cause I need your help. I don't know what to do with myself. I have barely any GCSE's, no A-Levels and no job to go back to. What can I do?" she implored, her voice thick with moisture.

"You would rather be with the Doctor wouldn't you?" asked Sarah Jane, her voice low.

Rose bit her lip. "Of course I would."

"But you feel you can't."

"Yes," replied Rose. "I would have killed the Master if I hadn't been talked out of it. I know I would've. And that's somethin' I would never do, but he killed so many people... he hurt the Doctor terribly... broke him... that the anger just built..."

"That when you had the chance you were so very tempted," finished Sarah Jane. "Rose, you've made the right choice in the circumstances. I think what you need to concentrate on is to heal your mind before focusing on a future, but you do need something to occupy your time too, so you don't dwell on this year that never happened."

"Wise advice," remarked Rose, unhappily. "But what can I focus on? I can't go back to a normal job. Working in a shop after all I've seen?"

"UNIT."

Rose turned to Martha who had just mumbled. "What?"

"UNIT," said Martha, her eyes bright. "I know this is far-fetched, but there are a few soldiers there who will remember that year... maybe we all need to stick together? Get in touch with UNIT and see if you can join up?"

Rose frowned, rubbing her chin, unsure of the proposition.

"If I may," said Sarah Jane, "I think that would be your best option. You would still be dealing with things that you know about – your experience among the stars would be a great help to UNIT, and you would feel closer to the Doctor that way too."

"I don't know..." shrugged Rose. "Maybe I need to get away from it all... start again from the start? Go back to where I went wrong? Get A-levels."

"Can you not do that while working?" asked Martha. "I combined my doctor studies with working. It was difficult but it will be worth it in the end, hopefully."

"How long have you got left of your course?" asked Sarah Jane, turning her attention towards Martha.

"A year and a half," said Martha. "I'm in my third year. The course I'm doing lasts for four years."

"I suppose I could work and study at the same time," conceded Rose. "But first I need to decide what I should do."

"What you are best at," said Sarah Jane.

"Trouble is, I dunno what I am good at."

"Science?" asked Martha.

Rose chuckled. "I bunked off my science lessons as often as I could, it bored me."

"Then there is your answer," nodded Sarah Jane. "Science. Travelling with the Doctor combines all sorts of sciences... and did you enjoy learning all that stuff?"

"I did."

Martha crossed her arms and leaned back. "And there is your answer."

Rose mused. "I guess so." She wasn't sure of the idea but she would give it some thought before writing it off completely.

* * *

"Rose Tyler studying Science?" laughed Jack down the phone line.

Rose grimaced, waiting his laughter out. When he stopped she replied: "It's an idea at least. I left the Doctor, Jack. What am I supposed to do? Mope around and wait for him to come back? He won't do that unless I call 'im."

"Rose, you did the right thing, honestly, you did," said Jack, sounding sincere. "I wouldn't say that if I didn't believe it. I'd say come and work for me, but the Doctor wouldn't like it. UNIT is the far better option for both you and Martha."

"Martha's not joining, it's just me," said Rose. "What do you know Jack?"

"Nothing," came the reply, but Rose was sure he was keeping something from her.

"Jack."

"What?"

"I know you know something. What have you heard?"

Jack sighed, and she was sure if they were together he would be running a hand through his hair, trying to work a way out of this predicament. "Okay, promise me you won't tell Martha."

"I promise," said Rose, though she had no intention of keeping it. She and Martha were so close that keeping secrets from one another was not something they did. During their travels across the Earth they had shared many things, private moments that Rose had never even shared with her old friends back on the Powell Estate. It was these memories that had drawn them closer, it was almost like she and Martha were sisters. "You can trust me, Jack."

"I am fortunate enough to have a source inside UNIT, someone who reports to me on developments. Apparently the Doctor turned up at UNIT headquarters late last night and delivered a hand-written letter to Colonel Mace. I have reason to believe it contains recommendations on you both for being signed up to UNIT for various purposes."

"Oh," said Rose. "Why did he do that?"

"No idea," responded Jack. "But if anyone deserves recommendations of the highest order, it's you and Martha."

Rose smiled. So the Doctor was looking out for her well-being, despite her leaving him at her own accord. It made her feel warm inside at the thought that though she had left him, he would still be a constant presence in her life.

"Please bear in mind that is just a guess about the contents of the letter, but I'm usually not far wrong."

"If you are," said Rose slyly, "you might find yourself under attack, Captain Harkness."

"Rose Tyler, are you flirting?" laughed Jack.

Rose giggled. "Maybe. How's the team?"

"They haven't arrived back yet. I can't contact them so I've just go to wait till they get back. Cardiff needs protecting while they are gone I guess."

"You should take the opportunity to enjoy yourself, Jack," suggested Rose. "After everything you've been through, you need it."

"So do you," prompted Jack.

Rose shook her head, knowing that her friend couldn't see it through the phone. "No. I need to busy myself. I need to carve a life for myself, being busy and not finding time to relax or even thinking about the past is the best thing I can do. Maybe I'll heal then."

"You don't need to heal, you need the Doctor," responded Jack. "And he needs you."

"Maybe," whispered Rose. But she couldn't help but feel that she needed time away from him. After all, before the Doctor she would never have even thought about killing someone, and that was why she had to get away, to find the Rose Tyler that she had once been before the Doctor, but a better version of her. In away, she mused, she had to combine the two aspects of her life, before the Doctor and after the Doctor into one big identity and become someone new, someone worthy to travel with the Doctor, but with the strength to walk away when needed to. That's what she had to do.

And Rose was certain with guidance from Sarah Jane and Martha that she would achieve the goal she desired.

**To be continued... **

**Please let me know what you think! **

**Until next time, **

**the-writer1988**


	3. Two: Study, Work and Romance

**A/N) Apologies for the long wait. Had a really stressful time. Started a new job and then quit within 7 days and have been ill as well, so my head hasn't been screwed on properly the last few days. Still, its here now, that is what is important right? **

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**Chapter Two: Study, Work, Romance**

The following day Rose and Martha received a visitor in the form of Colonel Mace who formally invited them to join UNIT. Rose accepted straight away but with added clause that she would be able to study at the same time, while Martha negotiated to continue her doctor studies before taking on the job, however Colonel Mace explained that he could rush through her qualification due to her experience on the field. Obviously Colonel Mace had full knowledge of the Year That Never Was, though he hadn't been there at the epicentre, other UNIT soldiers had and had reported to him the nature of events. He believed that Martha had no need to continue her course in the legitimate way.

Martha hadn't liked that idea at first but Rose had urged her to accept as she didn't want to start UNIT alone. Martha's own course would have made it impossible for her to work and study at the same time. Martha couldn't help but feel that she was cheating the system, so in the end they agreed she would study to the end of the current academic year where she would then take the years exams and go on an intensive one month course for her final year where, at the end of it, she could take the exams, knowing that she had at least done the most important work for her final year of her doctorate.

It was a week after they had been invited to UNIT, that Martha asked Rose a pressing question that had been on her mind for a while. "Shall I contact him?"

Rose put down the book she was reading. She had already delved into her Science course, taking all three main subjects in one big degree. Though she had hated the class as a teenager, now she found it interesting and informative. That was something the Doctor had done for her. Her interest in Science that had once been non-existent was now overtaking her life. "What do you mean?"

"Tom Milligan, I mean," said Martha, her cheeks colouring. "I sort of liked him... I mean, I know he won't remember anything but I could get in touch with him, see if he wanted to go out on a date?"

Rose smiled. "I think it should be more a meeting of chance than anything else. Tell you what, why don't we go out on the town tonight instead of staying in and studying? See if we can find your Doctor Milligan?"

"We can't cover the whole city in one night!" explained Martha.

"We won't need to," grinned Rose, picking up her mobile phone from the table. She had bought a new one only a few days ago to replace the one she had given the Doctor. "This is where a Captain Jack Harkness can come in handy."

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Rose watched from the sidelines as Martha danced with Tom Milligan. She wore a black dress that was very suited to Martha's figure. It hadn't just been Tom who had been interested in her; she had had quite a few requests from men to join them upstairs. Thankfully Martha had more sense, and Tom Milligan had been the only one not to say that, so she had made a good call there. Rose, on the other hand, had slipped on a red dress, powdered her face and curled her hair, but she wasn't interested in getting a man. It was too soon after she had left the Doctor for her to even contemplate looking for a boyfriend.

"Hello _darling_..." drawled a voice beside her.

Rose glanced up to see a tall man, who was wearing jeans and a shirt. He had black hair and a thin beard, and his eyes glinted. He reached towards her, but she pulled herself away from him, preventing the man from touching her. "I'm not interested, so go away."

The man shot her a filthy look before moving away. He was not the only one who had been behaving inappropriately to her that evening, but she supposed that was her fault to making herself look too good for the men to resist.

"That's the fifth time someone has tried to grope you tonight," said Martha, as she returned to her friend's side after the music had finished.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I just wish they'd leave me alone. Yeah, I made myself look good, but I'm not gonna go out looking like I haven't tried." She inclined her head towards Tom. "How is it going?"

Martha giggled, obviously a bit tipsy from the drinks Tom had been buying her. ""Well, I think he likes me."

"Has potential?" Rose wiggled her eyebrows, grinning.

"Yeah, I think so. He's nice... easy on the eyes," she smiled.

"You're besotted!" laughed Rose.

Martha blushed, feeling a little awkward. She hadn't felt this way in years. She had her fair share of boyfriends in the past, but never one that made her consider the possibility that it could lead to something more... Tom gave her that feeling and it warmed her heart that a man could do that. In another time he had died for her... even the brief time she had known him in the last leg of their journey Martha had felt feelings well inside her for Tom. He was kind, warm and caring, just what she looked for in a man. She saw Rose grinning at her. "Maybe I am besotted."

* * *

Martha threw herself into her studies, occasionally seeing Tom whenever her schedule would allow. She worked hard, earning high marks in all her work. The time of her exams due ever closer and Martha spent hours upon hours stuck in her room, head pouring over books as she sought to absorb all the information she needed to pass. After this set of exams, Martha would take a one week break before she was required to start her intensive course for her final year of her degree. In two months, she would be a fully qualified doctor.

Every two days Rose would go through Martha's notes and devise questions for her friend to answer. They would sit together at the table and Rose would read out the question and Martha would answer. It proved how hard Martha had studied when every answer she gave proved correct. Rose refused to believe that she was an inadequate examiner.

Eventually the day of the exams arrived. UNIT had ensured that all the exams Martha had to participate in could be done in the same day, as she had to get to work on her final year of University, in time for the exams which were scheduled in a month's time. Martha could only hope that she wasn't putting herself under too much pressure by attempting the impossible.

* * *

Rose was enjoying her studies, probably more so then Martha. She was not under so much pressure. With her friend now engrossed within the course for her final year, Rose found herself constantly having to organise herself so that she could test and aid Martha whenever possible. They did not know the results of the last set of exams yet as Martha had elected to know the full batch once she had completed the final year of exams.

Unlike Martha, Rose had time for a social life, but she had decided that for the last month of Martha's degree she would not go out. Martha was grateful for that.

On the eve of the day of her final exams, Martha took Rose aside and presented her with a gift. Though she should be studying, Martha was taking a twenty minute break to relieve her mind of the stress that she knew she was giving it.

"You didn't have to," said Rose, as she took the box from her friend and unwrapped the paper. She opened the lid of the box and found a glowing, red gem. It was definitely not of Earth origin. She picked it up and held it in her hand. It was heavy, not something she had been expecting. "Where did you get this?"

"When we visited Valafax, before the Doctor was accused of murder," explained Martha. "In the confusion I completely forgot I had purchased this for you. So, now I'm giving it to you. It's a thank you from me to you for everything you have done for me." She took Rose's hands in her own. "I am so glad I met you Rose Tyler."

Rose looked embarrassed. "Thank you. I wish I had something to give you in return for this..."

"You already have given me something to treasure forever."

Rose cocked her eyebrow, wondering what her friend meant. "What do you mean?"

"Your friendship," replied Martha. "I don't need anything else from you."

Rose didn't know what to say; instead she accepted her friend's gift gratefully.

* * *

After Martha had completed her final doctorate exams, she and Tom went away for a holiday to Florida for a week while Rose stayed at home and continued to study, making sure she was all up to date before she and Martha started their work with UNIT.

Over her holiday, Martha had explained to Tom all about the Doctor and her involvement with UNIT. She had been worried that he would abandon her, but he had risen above her expectations and told her that he would respect her decisions and what she did, even if he didn't agree with it. He had been shocked to learn about UNIT and the existence of aliens, but a part of him had always known they had. The day before she started her new job he sent her flowers with the message: _Good luck sweetheart _written on a piece of card he had attached to the stems. She sent Tom a text expressing her thanks and love to him.

As the clock struck ten in the morning a car pulled up outside the flat they shared. Grabbing their bags they stepped outside and were greeted by Colonel Mace. "Ladies, for your first week a car will arrive at nine and drive you to the site. By the end of the week you should be comfortable enough to make the journey on your own." He held the back door of the car open for them and Rose clambered in first so that she was seated behind the driver. Colonel Mace sat in the front seat and asked them to strap in. Once they were done the car pulled away from the house, where their flat was located and drove away, taking them to their first day of work.

It was the start of a new adventure for them both.

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Their first day compromised of them both meeting their new colleagues, as well as getting to know the people who they would be working under. Martha spent the afternoon with Dr Marshall, a fully qualified doctor who had experience in dissecting aliens. He had written various papers which he gave Martha permission to read. He was also the field medic and usually accompanied the soldiers on field missions.

Rose, on the other hand, was in the laboratory, being mentored by 'science geek' Dr Malcolm Taylor. He had only been working with UNIT for a year, having been plucked from obscurity when a UNIT official had seen his theories on particle separation. He was an excellent teacher she gave him that, although a bit eccentric. He was thrilled that she had been in the presence of the Doctor... his attitude towards the Time Lord told her he worshipped him. But that didn't matter to her. Yes, she still loved the Doctor, but she was determined to move on with her life. She could do it, she knew that.

* * *

As the days turned into weeks and in turn into months, Martha's and Tom's relationship developed into something more. Rose hardly saw much of her friend as Martha continually stayed overnight with Tom. She found herself getting lonely, and a part of her wanted to have some company. So, she called Jack. Not to sleep with mind. There had been a time when she would have done, but not anymore.

Jack drove down from Cardiff from the following day and joined Rose that night in her home. They just talked, discussing about the past and the future. Mostly they avoided the subject of the Doctor. It had been a month ago Martha had been assigned a job at Torchwood, to work alongside the team there. Rose had been too busy with her own studies to accompany her. In the end, dreadful things had happened to Martha – she had been studied by a scientist who had been intrigued to learn about her unusual blood samples, which had been a side-effect of her travelling in time. A member of the team, Owen Harper, was now the walking dead, having been shot and consequently being brought back, resulting him into not really being alive, but not being dead either, something in between. Martha had also suffered from being made old, which had scared her – she would have died if hospital staff hadn't acted quickly to save her life. Thankfully, the thing that had done that to her, once destroyed had reversed the process.

All in all, Martha had not had a good time working with Torchwood.

Rose sighed and placed the glass of wine on the table beside her. They had been avoiding it all night, but it was something they had to address.

"You still miss him, don't you," prodded Jack.

"I do, but I'm gettin' on with my life, just as the Doctor would've wanted. I think he'd be proud of the choice I've made. Never thought I'd ever take an interest in studying science, considering all the times I skipped class."

Jack grinned broadly. "Travelling with the Doctor can easily change your perceptions on some things... in your case he has only invigorated your desire to find out more about the scientific world. You'd make a good Professor, Miss Tyler."

"Oi, no flirting," said Rose, laughing.

"Now why would I do that?" asked Jack.

Rose giggled. "I know you, Jack."

It was a rare occurrence that Rose got to have so much fun in the space of one night. Drinking with Jack was fun, although it always ended with them sleeping together on the sofa. It was a way for Rose to let loose, while Martha, her best friend, stayed over with Tom. She wondered if she would ever find someone who could compare to the Doctor.

She was certain, that if she tried hard enough, that the right person was out there somewhere. She didn't want to spend the rest of her life lonely and without true love. She lived in hope that the right guy would step into her life and never leave her, unlike what she had done with the Doctor.

**To be continued... **

**Please let me know what you think!!! **

**Until next time, **

**thewriter1988**


	4. Three: Celebration

**A/N) **Another update, incorporating Voyage of the Damned... slightly. I know its short though. Hopefully updates will be coming quicker in the next few days.

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**Promises**

**Chapter Three: Celebration**

Six months had passed since the furore over Saxon, six months had flown by since Rose had made the decision to leave the Doctor, two months had passed since her and Martha had begun work at UNIT. It was December, the week leading up to Christmas, and UNIT was just as busy as it always was. There was never a dull moment, always something new to look forward to, always some alien involvement somewhere in Great Britain.

UNIT did not have holidays; there was always the threat of an alien invasion. Trepidation was high that another one would hit this Christmas. Both Rose and Martha remembered the Christmas of 2006, when the Sycorax had invaded. Rose had been on top of the space-ship with the newly regenerated Doctor, while Martha had been frantic with worry about the rest of her family who had started to act very strangely and had walked to the top of a very high building. Of her family, only her and her mother hadn't been affected. Christmas of 2007 had been packed with a star in the sky that had killed several hundred people before the army had managed to destroy it. Rose knew it had really been the Empress of the Racnoss, who had been trying to retrieve her babies from the centre of the Earth, but the Doctor, with Donna had foiled her plans. Rose smiled, remembering the fiery red-head. The dark memory she had of her death during the Year That Never Was suddenly flared up... She swallowed realising now that it wasn't a future that had been. It had been prevented, but it was a memory Rose would rather not have kept.

Life, it seemed, went on for the world. Christmas came steadily closer, and it became apparent, that due to all the odd happenings that had occurred on Christmas the last few years, people were wary of spending the time in London. They feared another alien attack. Rose could understand that but she did find it ridiculous that people were leaving London, just because of the possibility of another incident occurring. Maybe, if another alien invasion was forth-coming the aliens would target the U.S for once. She did wonder why Britain was the most popular place to be invaded...

Though most of the UNIT workers were on duty over the Christmas period, "monitoring the skies of planet Earth" as Colonel Mace put it, Martha and Rose were not down for duty and were able to have Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and the following day off. Rose had been invited to the Jones' home for the duration of the holiday, though she had toyed with the idea of phoning the Doctor. In the end she had resisted the urge and decided spending the winter holiday with people she considered family, was the best option for her.

Like the majority of the residents, the Jones family had elected to leave London and had booked a cottage in Yorkshire. Tom Milligan, Martha's boyfriend, had also been invited. Rose had hitched a lift from London with Martha and Tom. She sat in the back of the car, plugged into her iPod, listening away to Kylie Minogue, but though she had music blaring in her ears she was far more interested in Martha and Tom. Tom had confided in her his plan for Martha over Christmas. He was going to propose. It had taken all of Rose's strength not to squeal and shout out to Martha what her boyfriend was planning. She had watched them get close over the last few months, and she couldn't feel any happier for them. Part of her longed for the security of a marriage herself, but she knew any man she fell in love with would likely be a rebound. She would only go out with a man if she truly thought it had something going for it in the beginning.

The journey to the cottage in Yorkshire took them just over three hours, which was unusual as it should have taken less, but far more traffic was on the roads heading out of London than usual. Martha's family had already arrived at the cottage the day before and booked everyone in.

The cottage was situated on private land, adjacent to a farmhouse, close to the Yorkshire Dales. It was a cold and dreary day but the cottage looked rather welcoming. As Rose stepped out the car, two dogs ran towards her, barking at the newcomers. Close behind them was, she assumed, the owner of the cottage who was renting it over the Christmas period. He also happened to be an old family friend of the Jones'.

"Alan!" squealed Martha, running towards the aging farmer and wrapping her arms around his neck. "How's Rhianne?"

"Ah, she's fine," replied Alan. "It's good ter see ya, Martha. Been years since you were last down 'ere. You were, what? Twenny?"

Martha nodded. "I've come a long way since then. I was just a trainee doctor, now I'm fully qualified and practicing my art."

The only person outside Martha's immediate family who knew her true job was Tom and Rose. No one else did. It was better that way and in the interests of the national security.

"I know, your parents told me," drawled Alan. "They're in the cottage, waitin' for ya."

"Aww, thank you!" Martha hugged him again and turned back to Tom. "I should probably introduce Tom to you." She pulled Tom by the hand towards the older man. "Tom, this is Alan. He's an old friend of the family. He's known me since I was six weeks old."

Alan held out his hand and Tom shook it. "Nice to meet yer, Tom. I hope yer can make Martha happy."

Tom blushed, feeling embarrassed. "Err, thanks."

"Well, I hope yer 'ave a nice Christmas. I'll see ya on the other side," said Alan. He called to his two dogs (Buster and Gordy) who had been jumping up at Rose for the past five minutes, and the animals raced away from Rose. "Back to the house with yer!"

Martha waved goodbye as Alan walked away towards the farmhouse.

"He's a bit eccentric," commented Tom, wearily.

"Yeah, but he's that kind of guy... always happy," said Martha, slipping a hand through Tom's arm. They walked to the front door of the cottage and rapped on it. Francine opened it and pulled her daughter into a hug. "Hey, mum." She was glad to see her mother again.

* * *

Christmas Day was full of surprises for everyone involved.

At first light, when Martha had woken, Tom had bent down on one knee and proposed. He had bought a diamond ring. Martha had not been expecting his proposal, but she had accepted. She loved Tom with all her heart and she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. Despite being only six months into their relationship, they had already discussed the possibility of children. In a way, the only thing that had been standing in their way was Tom not proposing, but now he had done and it was official.

Francine had been given a new puppy by Clive. Her husband had always said 'no' to an animal in the house but he had relented since their terrible time in the Year That Never Was. His wife needed something to concentrate on and a puppy was the perfect present he could give her.

Rose had been asked by Martha to be her maid-of-honour at her wedding, and she readily agreed.

That night, the whole family settled down for a big dinner, cooked by Francine, but with the help of both Martha and Rose. They also had the radio on low, listening to the soothing music that was currently being played. Everyone was quiet around the table, not a word being spoken. It was blissful and very different from previous Jones family Christmas', Martha reflected.

But it was then that the calming atmosphere in the cottage was ruined as an urgent news report came on the radio. Martha reached behind her and turned the volume up so they could hear the report.

"...I repeat a spaceship is falling towards Buckingham Palace. The Queen is being evacuated, but a spaceship, like a replica of the Titanic is falling to Earth..."

Rose and Martha exchanged glances and leapt out their chairs, racing for the door; Tom and the rest of the Jones' not far behind them. They were too far away from London to see the falling ship but they waited with bated breath... The spaceship crashing into Earth would be a disaster of massive proportions. Francine had turned the radio up higher so that the news reporter could still be heard outside.

"... It's... This is incredible... at the last moment the spaceship appears to be lifting up into the sky, flying away... This is remarkable... absolutely wonderful. We were just seconds away from disaster but by some incredible luck the ship has veered off course and is heading back into the sky..."

Martha was smiling with relief, hugging Tom.

"That had to have been the Doctor. He must have been on board," grinned Rose. "No one else could save us like that in the nick of time."

"Hey, is that it?" asked Tish, pointing to a black speck in the sky that was steadily rising in the air, but was still so small that they couldn't discern whether it was the spaceship replica of the Titanic or not.

"It might be," said Martha. "Hold on, I'll make a call." She pulled out her mobile phone but a hand stopped her. She looked up to see her mother's eyes beseeching her not to make the call.

"Don't. Please," begged Francine.

Martha nodded. "I won't." She put her phone away. She could understand why her mother didn't want to phone UNIT. Her mother didn't want any alien type stuff on Christmas Day. The news could not help announcing what they had but Martha did not need to know whether the speck in the sky really was the star ship that had nearly crashed into Buckingham Palace.

Clive took Francine's shoulders and steered her back inside. Leo, his girlfriend and his son Boxer followed. Tish, Martha, Tom and Rose stood outside in the chilly air.

"Do you think the Doctor was onboard?" asked Tish.

"I do," said Rose. "He's always here for us, regardless of the danger."

"Martha?"

"I think the same... If it had crashed then we would have known he wasn't. He always succeeds, no matter what the circumstances. The Doctor always finds a way." Martha took Tom by the hand. "But I don't need the Doctor anymore... I've found my doctor for life." She squeezed her fiancée's hand. "But you know what?"

"What?" asked Rose, curious as to what Martha was trying to say.

"I may have Tom, my doctor, but without the Doctor being a part of my life I would never have met him. I wouldn't be here if it were not for him. And I love him for that. If he ever comes back into our lives, I want to thank him. After all, it is the least I can do." Martha leaned into Tom, resting her head against his shoulder. Together, they walked back inside the cottage to join the rest of the Jones family.

Rose stayed outside for a few minutes more mulling over her own thoughts. She hoped that one day she could have what Martha had. She just had to find the right man and not compare them to the Doctor, because no one could live up to him. She could do that, couldn't she?

"Yes, I can," she vowed.

**To be continued... **

**Please let me know what you think!!! **

**the-writer1988**


	5. Interlude One: The Doctor and Donna

**A/N) And so we go to the TARDIS team... to see exactly how the Doctor is coping with the events after Choices...**

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**Interlude One: The Doctor and Donna Noble**

"Something's wrong," said Donna Noble, casually, as she strolled round the TARDIS console watching the Doctor. "You're not enthusiastic enough." She waved her hands in the air and moved her hips in a comical gesture. He didn't even raise a smile when he looked at her.

"Are you going to tell me?" pressed Donna. "Where is Rose? You said she left you. Why?"

"Things changed between us," said the Doctor quietly. "Things happened..." he swallowed, "...to me."

Donna walked up to him, her eyes locked onto his. When she had first met him on her wedding day there had been a sparkle in his eyes, one that had been dim, but it had been there. She had seen friction between the two friends but had never learnt why. All she knew of Rose Tyler was that she had done something that the Time Lord would never have thought possible of her, or of any human being it seemed. Their relationship had seemed strained, but she had instantly realised that both of them were in love with one another but hadn't told each other yet. Who would have thought a human could fall in love with an alien, especially one as skinny as the Doctor?

But she had given Rose advice to hang in there and hope he would come around, and she had told the Doctor, quietly, that he should forgive her. But this was something different. The way he carried himself told her he had been hurt badly... and his quiet demeanour suggested psychological scars that had still not healed. She had only been on the TARDIS for little more than an hour but it was clear he was not himself.

She laid a hand on his arm and drew him into a hug. He didn't respond for a few seconds but when he did his hug seemed stilted, as if he was afraid of being hurt more.

"Doctor. What happened?" she asked, gently as she pulled away from him.

He sat down on the pilots chair and stared at the console, unmoving, his eyes locked onto the controls in front of him. Minutes passed and the silence almost being unbearable, but the Doctor finally spoke, his voice quiet. "I was tortured for two years, kept prisoner by a member of my own race..."

"He tortured you?" whispered Donna, her face going white. "For two years?"

The Doctor nodded. "Well, more than that... technically in your time it was eighteen months, but for me it was more like thirty months, but since I wiped that year it wouldn't count for you since the majority of the people on Earth can't even remember it, save for a select few who were at the epicentre of it."

Donna raised her hands in confusion. "Whoa, slow down Martian boy! You're talking about stuff that I don't even have a clue about here!"

The Doctor scowled at her but his expression softened as he returned to gazing at the console. "It's complicated..."

"Then tell me," said Donna gently. She sat down next to him. "Look at me. Please." But he didn't so she reached under his chin and turned his head so that he was looking at her. His brown orbs were cloudy, the sparkle of light gone, and she could tell that he was fearful of recounting everything that had happened to him. "I might be able to help," she added.

"Rose and I met someone, a medical student called Martha Jones. We took her with us, travelling the stars. Rose and Martha became very close, the best of friends I would say...but Rose was unhappy. I could never forgive her for what she did. She chose me over never seeing her mother again... I can't get over that... humans value family, don't they? And Rose's choice shocked me. I began to forget what she had done, well, I put it to the back of my mind... we grew closer again, but the tension was still there... my own fault really. We met up with an old friend at the end of the universe... But a member of my species was hiding there. He captured me and stole the TARDIS leaving the others stranded there. They had a way back, but by the time they found me I had been a prisoner for eighteen months. His name was the Master, a homicidal Time Lord. He hurt me so very badly, Donna. He ripped my mind to shreds." The Doctor put his head in his hands and Donna rubbed his back. "He hurt me so much..."

He wiped his eyes with his suit, not caring that he did not have a tissue. "But that wasn't it... he did more... he used my TARDIS to create a Paradox machine... it's a device that helped him bring back descendants of the human race from the future into the past... He took over the world, Donna. Enslaved the population and forced me to watch as he murdered my companions, all of my past companions... everyone that has ever travelled with me."

"I don't remember that... I couldn't miss something that big, could I?" wondered Donna, confusion evident on her face.

"That year no longer exists..." whispered the Doctor. "Rose and Martha escaped and travelled the world for a whole year spreading the word... right at the very end, they were caught, but they had succeeded in their mission. I defeated the Master in the end... time was reversed so that no one would ever remember that terrible year... not even you, Donna Noble. But I was scarred from what the Master had done to me. I thought Rose and Martha would stay with me, help me through the terror that he put my mind through, but they didn't. They left me... but they did what they thought was right for them... I don't blame them for their choice. They had seen so many terrible things that they had to leave in the end."

"But you are broken," Donna said slowly. "Broken from what this Master did to you. And you haven't healed. Your physical ones yes, but not the ones in here." She pointed to his head.

He nodded. "I can't be the same, not after everything I've suffered."

"Doctor, I'm here for you," said Donna. "I will make you better so that you can enjoy yourself once more."

He smiled a small sad one and his eyes brightened just a bit. It was good to have let out all that had happened to him. He hugged her, feeling safe and secure in her arms. "Thank you, Donna Noble."7

**To be continued...**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**Next up: The Sontaran Stratagem **_Coming soon_


	6. Four: The Sontaran Stratagem part one

**And so we begin with the first of the Series 4 AU's.... Thank you for your reviews!**

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**Chapter Four: The Sontaran Stratagem part one**

Six months had passed since Christmas Day where Buckingham Palace had almost been destroyed by a falling star ship. It had been just over a year since Rose and Martha had made the decision to part from the Doctor. Every now and again they wondered how he was, and Rose had contemplated calling her old mobile phone that she had left in his possession, but she had never done that because she had decided long ago that she would only ring that number if she absolutely had to. Talking to him to see how he was coping without her was not an option. It would just open old wounds.

Martha was hard at work within UNIT and was busy planning her wedding to Tom though still found time to spend with Rose, mostly during lunch break at work. Tom and Martha had bought a house just a few streets away from where Rose and Martha had lived in their flat, but now the flat was owned by Rose and no longer a joint claim.

Rose was still enjoying her studies with Malcolm Taylor and was progressing rapidly though her degree. She had her first year exams coming up and had been revising steadily. She had had a four month relationship with a young man who she had met on a night out with Martha and Tom but she had ended it after her increasingly busy schedule prevented her from seeing him anyway. She hadn't felt a connection anyway, but she knew he had adored her, just like Mickey had done.

She sighed. Mickey had put up with her. She knew he still loved her. Briefly she wondered what he was up to in the parallel world and whether he thought of her often.

Gripping the report that she and Malcolm had put together over the last couple of days, Rose walked towards Colonel Mace's office. It was customary for him to read up on any report that each department compiled so that he was up-to-date with everything. She didn't know whether he would understand what the hell they were talking about though...

His office door was closed but he wasn't in the room as he didn't answer when she knocked so she opened the door and stepped inside. It looked like he had only left the room recently as various reports were strewn over the desk. It was only 9:30am, and the desk calendar showed the day's date suggesting that he had been here very briefly. She looked at his diary that was plastered on the wall. "Ah, so you're in the medical meeting with Martha then," she grinned. That morning Martha had told her about the monthly meeting the medical UNIT stuff held with Colonel Mace. It was not a very exciting meeting at all.

She placed the report on the desk and scribbled a note on a post-it-note and stuck it to the top of report. Rose was about to leave the office when the phone rang. She halted, wondering whether she should answer it on his behalf. She decided to wait, if the message seemed important, she would pick it up. She was here, why not? If it was a matter of extreme importance...

Taking the plunge she picked up the phone. "Hello? You've come through to Colonel Mace's office at UNIT headquarters."

A woman's voice came over the speaker. It sounded like she was driving and was in a hurry. "Where is Colonel Mace? I need to speak to him!"

"He's not here at the moment," replied Rose. "Tell me, maybe I can get a message to him."

There was a slight pause at the other end, but then the woman began to speak. "My name is Jo Nakashima. I sent him an email. I don't know if he's got it or not... but I've been investigating a number of deaths related to ATMOS systems."

Rose's heart skipped a beat. UNIT was currently knee-deep in an investigation to do with them. They also had detected something was amiss with the new sat-nav though the device had passed through their screening. But they remained suspicious.

Jo continued to speak. "I can't prove anything but there's got to be a link. I need you or someone to check out all the people who died in ATMOS cars yesterday and then check out the time." She sounded frantic with worry. "I'm on my way to you now."

"Yeah, sure, I can do that. I'll get a message to him right away," replied Rose, hurriedly writing down the information she had collected from Jo. Distinctly, over the phone she heard the sound of an ATMOS instruction: 'Turn right'.

"I don't believe this," muttered Jo.

"Is everythin' alright?" asked Rose.

She could hear Jo yelling at the sat-nav in the car. "I said take me to UNIT! Not to the edge of a river bank!"

Rose held her breath, fear in her gut. She could still hear the instructions of the sat-nav ordering Jo to drive straight on.

"I don't think so! I'll find my own way, thanks!"

"Jo, stay calm, we'll get someone to come and get you," said Rose, already pulling out her mobile phone, but it was too late for over the phone line she heard the sat-nav spill the words: 'This is your final destination'.

Jo's screams became frantic. "No—no! Help!"

"Jo! Get out of there!" yelled Rose.

"I can't! The system has locked the door!" Jo was frantically pounding on the window. "I can't get out! It's driving it—"

But her words were cut short and the phone line disconnected and Rose Tyler knew what had happened. The ATMOS system in Jo's car had driven her straight into the river. Right at this moment across town, she was drowning. And Rose had been unable to do nothing about it.

Fighting back tears, Rose made a run for the conference room where Colonel Mace was meant to be.

* * *

Once Rose had interrupted the 'very important meeting' and informed the Colonel of Jo's call and subsequent death by sat-nav, Mace had ordered the requested information found. Within twenty minutes they had the answers they required. He, Rose, Martha and Captain Price gathered in his office to discuss the alarming facts that they had uncovered. If it hadn't been for Jo Nakashima, they wouldn't have thought to check this data.

"Fifty-two people died at exactly the same time?" said Rose, shaking her head as she tried to absorb the information.

Martha nodded. "In eleven different time-zones... 5am in the UK, 6am in France, 8am in Moscow, 1pm in China... everywhere... Every single one of those people died. We're having the bodies flown to respective UNIT sites across the globe. I've already started on the autopsy for the seven that died in the UK."

"And what are your conclusions so far, Doctor Jones?" asked Colonel Mace.

"I'm afraid there isn't much to go on, sir. Whatever killed them disappeared. Completely untraceable. I think it was poison. A gas of some sort."

"Can we take ATMOS off sale now citing that it caused these deaths?" asked Rose, hands on her hips, as her mind ran through the available data.

Colonel Mace shook his head. "We have no proof that ATMOS is responsible, other than Jo Nakashima's phone call before her death, and that is not enough to overturn a government edict."

"Poo," sighed Rose. "I didn't think it would but it was worth a shot though."

"We're going to have to gather more evidence before we present a case to the government," explained Captain Price.

"I don't think we can do this alone," said Martha, shifting on her feet, trading glances with Rose. "I think we need the Doctor. This is beyond our capability."

"You believe there is something alien going on, Miss Jones?" asked Colonel Mace, eyebrows rose, questionably.

She nodded in response. "I do. I also think we need to raid the ATMOS factory just outside of London, talk to the workers there and see if there is anything suspicious going on."

"You could be right about that," mused Colonel Mace. "Very well. Captain Price and myself will draw up a plan of attack. We will ensure it is ready for tomorrow morning action at 9:30. Do you think that you'd be able to get the Doctor here for that time?"

"I can. We can contact him via my old mobile phone," volunteered Rose. "I left it with him in case I ever needed to call him. I'll just give him the time and date and he'll be there."

Colonel Mace nodded his head. "Then do so. If ATMOS systems are the work of aliens we will need his expertise. The sooner he gets here the better for us."

* * *

Rose and Martha stood in the alleyway by the ATMOS factory. UNIT vehicles were on route with a ETA of fifteen minutes.

"Not long now..." mused Rose as she looked up at the blue sky above them.

"Are you going to phone him?" asked Martha, looking at the mobile in Rose's hand. "Do you want me to do it?"

Rose shook her head. It was her phone she had given the Doctor so she had to be the one that rang it. It had been over a year since she had last spoken to him. She still loved him and she didn't want her love for him to over cloud her judgement in this mission. "No, I can do it... just..." she swallowed a lump in her throat.

"You're worried it is going to bring back the past, aren't you?" whispered Martha.

"He was broken when we left him... who knows what state he is in now?" She had always hated herself for leaving him at a time when he probably needed her more than he had ever done before.

"Rose," said Martha, laying a hand on her friend's shoulder. "I'm sure he stopped that star ship from crashing into the Earth on Christmas Day. He wouldn't abandon us, no matter how much he hurts. Trust in him and trust in yourself. I know you still love him... and I realise you are afraid that seeing him again will bring back how much you changed during that Year... but Rose, you are healed. You've successfully moved on with your life. You are a scientist!"

"In-training," corrected Rose, smiling lightly. "Okay, I'll call him." She flipped open her mobile phone and brought up the number of her old mobile which she had saved to her new mobile once Martha had given it to her. Rose had always been useless with remembering her own mobile number before. She pressed the green phone symbol on her phone, dialling the number.

Martha stood to the side, waiting.

Rose's heart skipped a beat as she waited for an answer. Maybe he wasn't even in the TARDIS? Maybe he had lost her phone on one of his many travels he had taken since she had left him? She heard the click of the phone and...

"Hello?"

"Doctor," said Rose, a grin spreading across her face as she heard his voice again. It was still the same! She had been afraid he might have regenerated due to the emotional trauma he had been put through. "It's Rose..."

"I could never forget you Rose Tyler," he said.

"I need you – I mean – we need you. Martha and I." She rattled off the date, place and position of where they stood. "Do you think you can get here on the right day?" she teased.

"Oh, sure I can. You just watch me," he replied, hanging up the phone.

Rose turned a huge smile on Martha. "Well?" her friend asked.

"He's coming," said Rose. "He should be here any minute..."

As soon as she finished her sentence a wheezing sound began behind them, throwing up bits and pieces of rubbish that were on the floor of the alleyway. The TARDIS was materialising in front of them and both of them stood back as it ended the sequence. They waited with baited breath at the opening of the alleyway.

Rose edged forward slightly as the doors opened and the Doctor – her Doctor – poked his head out. A grin spread across his face as he saw her and Martha standing there.

"Rose Tyler. Martha Jones," he grinned.

"Doctor," said Martha, inclining her head in a nod of respect.

Rose just stood there, not able to say a word. He looked well, but she couldn't help feeling he was hiding something, that it was all a facade.... "Hello," she managed when he caught her eyes.

Martha walked towards him, past Rose holding her arms out. He held out his arms too and pulled her into a hug but Rose couldn't help noticing he shuddered at the contact. But she shook her head, telling herself she was being silly over it all, and instead smiled and waited for Martha to step away.

The Doctor slowly approached Rose and held out his hand to her, but she grabbed him and he twirled her round in a circle, laughter erupting from him. "Oh, I've missed you, Rose Tyler. Oh, I am so glad neither of you have changed!"

"Neither have you," said Martha.

"How's the family?" he asked.

"Oh, you know, not so bad. They're recovering," replied Martha.

"What about you?" asked the Doctor, directing this question to Rose.

Rose smiled, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Oh, you know... studying... working for UNIT. Thanks for the recommendations by the way."

"How'd you know it was me?" The Doctor gave her an innocent look, one that was intended to show he wasn't guilty of recommending them to UNIT's highest officials.

"It's fairly obvious you had a hand in it," laughed Rose. "Colonel Mace showed up at our doorstep and formally invited us. He said that someone had told him about our skills... the only person who would do that for us would be you. He has no knowledge of the Year The Never Was either, but he does have reports from soldiers who were there at the end, but none of those would recommend us. You would."

"Ah... you have me there then," admitted the Doctor. He scratched the back of his neck feeling uncomfortable. He looked away from them, over his shoulder and yelled back towards the TARDIS. "Donna? Are you coming out or not?"

Rose exchanged looks with Martha. "Donna? As in Donna Noble?" probed Rose.

A loud voice erupted from the TARDIS and out walked Donna Noble, dressed in tracksuit bottoms and a jumper, her red hair falling across her shoulders. Her face was red. "Oi! Martian-boy! Don't order me about!" she said, pointing a finger in his direction.

The Doctor visibly flinched at her tone but corrected his posture quite quickly.

"I see you replaced us then," grinned Martha, teasingly.

The Doctor frowned. "Now, don't start a fight. Rose, you've already met Donna, but Martha this is Donna. Donna, Martha Jones. Please don't fight. I can't bear fighting." He raised his hands in mock surrender.

Donna chuckled. "You wish." She reached and grasped Martha's hand, shaking it. "I've heard all about you. He talks about you and Rose all the time."

Rose raised her eyebrows but stayed silent.

"I dread to think what he says about me..." said Martha, pulling her hand away from Donna. Though she had met Donna Noble during the Year That Never Was, she was aware that the woman would not remember that meeting and she was working hard to make sure that Donna did not become suspicious.

"No, no, no, he says nice things. Really nice things. You two saved the world... Walked the Earth apparently."

"Oh, my God, he's told you everything we did," said Martha, brushing her left hand across her fringe to pull it out of her face.

"Oh, what's that then?" asked Donna, taking hold of Martha's left wrist and pointing to the ring on her finger. "Who's the lucky man?"

"What man? Lucky what?"

Donna rolled her eyes. "She's engaged, you prawn."

Martha raised her hand and wriggled her fingers, showing off the ring that sparkled on her ring finger.

"Really? Who to?"

"You won't know him," said Martha, "but it's that Tom Milligan, we met. He's in paediatrics, working out in Africa right now, and yes, I know, I've got a doctor who goes off to distant places. He's only been gone a few days, but he'll be back in about three weeks."

"Sounds like you are very besotted, with this Tom," grinned Donna.

"Oh, she is," butted in Rose. "If you ever meet him... be prepared for those two to not being able to keep their hands off one another."

"Rose!" shouted Martha in indignation. What her friend said was true. She and Tom simply could not keep their hands off each other. She loved him. And he loved her. Rose's way of describing her relationship with Tom was accurate. She just didn't want the Doctor to think little of her.

"Everyone in love goes through that phase," said Donna. "I did with Lance. But then he got killed by a giant spider so that ended that relationship..."

Martha was about to question her when the radio attached to her belt blared out. "Dr Jones, report to base, please."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows.

"Sorry to cut this short but we're in the middle of something," said Martha as she held the radio to her lips. She pressed the button and spoke into it. "This is Dr Jones. Operation blue Sky is a go. I repeat, this is a go."

Martha ran off leaving Rose to stand beside the Doctor and Donna. She led them out of the alleyway and they watched as UNIT jeeps and one large lorry bearing the UNIT logo came down the road, heading towards the factory, with a hundred soldiers running beside the respective vehicles.

"What's going on?" asked the Doctor over the shouts of UNIT soldiers, who were yelling instructions over their own radios.

"There's something suspicious going on with the new sat-nav so we're raiding the factory to see if there are any answers. We believe that there might be aliens involved," said Rose. "Technically I shouldn't even be here, nor should Martha, but we had to be here to meet you. Colonel Mace decided that one of us had to lead the operation. I didn't want to, so Martha elected to."

They could hear the shouts of the UNIT soldiers demanding the workers to place their hands on their heads and step away from their work line and tools. They could see Martha running in and out of the factory, issuing commands over her radio set.

"Is that what happened to her?" breathed Donna in shock.

"Nothing's happened to Martha," said Rose. "It's sorta necessary for every UNIT employee to lead a mission at some point. Just gives 'em experience in the field, so any of us can take over a mission if the designated leader is killed."

"So, you've turned them into soldiers?" accused Donna, glaring at the Doctor.

Rose shook her head. "It's not like that. Martha and I hardly go on field missions. We're usually restricted to our own working areas. But we had to get you here so it makes sense for one of us to co-ordinate the mission."

As the UNIT soldiers filed inside and the shouts died down, Martha returned to them, her face bright and her eyes shining.

"I see you are a qualified now. Well done, Doctor Jones," said the Doctor.

Martha grimaced. "UNIT rushed it through, given my experience in the field, but I still took all the exams so I wouldn't feel I was cheated in being given my doctorate." She started to walk towards the lorry. "Come one, this way. We're establishing a field base on site. Colonel Mace is just dying to meet you."

The Doctor exchanged a glance with Donna which Rose caught. "I wish I could say the same thing..."

* * *

Martha led the Doctor and Donna into the lorry from the rear. Inside it was set up as a mini base of operations. There were computers and monitors and a giant screen all hooked up inside the lorry, all top of the line, some of it not even available nationally yet.

Colonel Mace stood looking over a worker's shoulder, watching what he was inputting into the UNIT database. He looked up as Martha approached. "Dr Jones."

"Operation blue Sky is complete, sir," said Martha. She turned to the Doctor. "This is the Doctor. Doctor, Colonel Mace."

"Sir!" Mace saluted.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Oh, don't salute."

Mace looked confounded as he regarded the Doctor's order. "But, it's an honour, sir. I've read all the files on you. Technically speaking, you're still on staff. You never resigned."

"You worked here?" Rose's mouth fell open in surprise.

The Doctor shrugged. "It was a very long time ago, back in the seventies. It was all a bit more homespun back then," he sniffed.

"Times have changed, sir," added Mace.

The Doctor glared pointedly at the Colonel. "That's enough of 'sir' as well."

Rose caught Martha's eyes with hers and motioned for her to get the Doctor away from what could possibly be an argument.

"Come on through, Doctor. You've seen it. You've been on board the Valiant."

The Doctor shuddered involuntarily, and Martha winced at, undoubtedly, the memories she had brought up.

"Sorry," she added hastily.

"It is fine," said the Doctor quietly, stuffing his hands inside his pockets.

Rose stepped into Martha's shoes. "We've had massive funding from the United Nations. It's like a modern UNIT for the modern world."

"And that means arresting ordinary workers? In the streets? In broad daylight? It's more like Guantanamo Bay out there." Donna was speaking directly to Colonel Mace, no doubt the man in charge of the operation that they had witnessed outside. "Donna, by the way. Donna Noble, since you didn't ask." She eyed him up and down. "I'll have a salute."

Mace looked shocked but at the Doctor's nod gave Donna a salute. "Ma'am!"

Rose grinned as Donna expressed her thanks. Donna Noble sure had her own unique way of dealing with people.

"Now then, tell me what is going on in that factory," said the Doctor, leaning back against the desk and staring at Colonel Mace.

Rose and Martha waited while the Doctor was filled in about the fifty-two people that had died simultaneously across the world while inside their cars. The Colonel even explained Martha's theory, which had since been proven, that poison had been involved.

"There was nothing left in their system," said Martha. "We checked the results of everybody that died. No toxins remain, but we know there must have been poison because they weren't involved in an accident, they just died. No heart failure, nothing."

The Doctor frowned. "Have the cars got anything in common?"

Martha nodded. "They have."

"They're all fitted with ATMOS but all the cars are of different makes, but that is what they have in common," finished Rose.

"What is this ATMOS?" asked the Doctor, his face scrunched up. "I get that it is a sat-nav... but what does it stand for?"

Rose grinned as she grabbed the Doctor's hand. "This way. It's better to show you."

* * *

Rose led the Doctor and Donna along a catwalk above the factory floor, looking down at the workers that had been lined up in the aisles by UNIT soldiers. She leaned on the railing and looked down upon them.

"ATMOS, stands for "Atmospheric Emission System". The ATMOS in your car reduces CO2 emissions to zero," said Martha, who had accompanied them.

The Doctor's eyes widened. "Zero? No carbon? None at all?"

Rose nodded. "Yup, plus you get a sat nav too."

"And don't forget that if you introduce a friend you get twenty quid in shopping vouchers," added Donna.

"And this is where they make it," said Colonel Mace, striding up behind the group. "Seventeen factories across the globe, shipping worldwide, but this is the central depot, sending ATMOS to every country on Earth."

"And you think ATMOS is alien?" questioned the Doctor.

"It's our job to investigate that possibility. Doctor? If you will follow me."

* * *

Colonel Mace led the Doctor into a small office situated within the ATMOS factory. The device was resting inside an open display case, which the Doctor had easy access to if he so wished to look at it.

"And here it is, laid bare," announced Colonel Mace. "ATMOS can be thread through any and every make of car."

The Doctor whipped out his glasses. "You must have checked it before it went on sale."

"We did. We found nothing. Combined with those deaths by a toxin unknown, I thought we needed an expert," explained Martha.

"You," nodded Rose.

"Something I don't get, why would aliens be so keen on cleaning up our atmosphere?"

All eyes turned on Donna and the Doctor gave her a grin. "Very good question."

"Maybe they want to help? Get rid of pollution and stuff."

Rose snorted. "That would be a first... aliens wanting to help the human race and not destroy it."

"Hey! I'm alien and I'm helping you!" shouted the Doctor, obviously feeling that Rose had chastised him.

"Sorry," blushed Rose. "What I should have was that a lot of aliens want to destroy the human race, but not all of them. Seriously, why would aliens want to get rid of pollution on stuff?"

The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "Do you know how many cars there are on planet Earth?"

Rose and Donna both shook their heads.

"Eight hundred million. Imagine that. If you could control them, you'd have eight hundred million weapons."

"I'm guessing that's bad, yeah?" wondered Martha.

"Oh, it is very bad," responded the Doctor as he bent down to examine the ATMOS device. "Hmm... let's see if this little baby does what it is designed to do... or if its false advertising..."

"Why wouldn't it do what it's supposed to?" asked Martha, planting her hands on her hips and cocking her head to the side.

"Because there is no way you'd be able to test that it cleans the atmosphere before putting it on sale. You'd have to do a world-wide experiment. And if it does, well, humans shouldn't even have this technology, at least not for a few decades, which probably means aliens are involved." He soniced the device and frowned. "Just as I thought. It's an ionising nano-membrane carbon dioxide converter – which means that it works by filtering the CO2 at a molecular level."

"So that confirms it then, the device is not of Earth-origin," stated Rose.

"No, it was made by human hands, but the circuitry would have been supplied by aliens," the Doctor explained as he picked up the device and looked at it from every possible angle.

"Hey, where has Donna gone?" asked Martha. "She was here a minute ago..."

"She said that she had an idea that she wanted to check out... told me to inform you if you noticed she had gone," confirmed Colonel Mace, stepping closer to the Doctor.

The Doctor visibly flinched. "Look, do you mind? Could you stand back a bit?"

Mace gave him a peculiar look. "Sorry, have I done something wrong?"

"You're carrying a gun," said Rose. "He doesn't like people who carry guns."

"If you insist," said the Colonel and moved out of the room.

Martha eyed the Doctor, and exchanged a glance with Rose. "Tetchy."

The Doctor caught her glance. "Well, it's true.

"But he's a good man. At least we don't carry a gun," said Martha, indicating herself and Rose.

The Doctor said nothing and continued to sonic the device, muttering under his breath.

"You're not healed are you?" asked Rose, wondering if she was making the right move in bringing this up at this time.

The Doctor didn't even raise his head to look at her as he spoke. "I don't know what you mean," he said hastily.

She was about to follow it up when Donna's loud voice interrupted her train of thought.

"Oi! Weren't you wondering where I was then?" Donna Noble asked as she entered the room, holding a file in her right hand. Colonel Mace, followed behind her.

"Where have you been?" asked the Doctor.

"Personnel. That's where the weird stuff's happening – in the paperwork."

Rose found herself grinning at Donna's usefulness.

"'Cause I spent years working as a temp, I can find my way around an office blindfolded, and the first thing I noticed is an empty file..." she trailed off, smiling at the Doctor, who had an expression of wonder on his face.

"Why, what's inside it? Or what's not inside it?"

"Sick days." She opened the file to show that there was nothing inside it at all. "There aren't any. Hundreds of people working here, and no one's sick. Not one hangover, man flu, sneaky little shopping trip. Nothing. Not ever. They don't get ill."

Mace reached for the file. "That can't be right." He took the folder and opened it again, hardly able to comprehend Donna's logic.

"You've been checking out the buildings, should've been checking out the workforce."

Martha gave Donna an appraising look. "I can see why he likes you. You are good."

"Super Temp."

"Dr Jones, set up a medical post and start examining the workers. I'll get them sent through," ordered Colonel Mace.

"Come on, Donna, you can give me a hand," said Martha. "And you too, Rose, unless the Doctor needs you for something?"

The Doctor had taken the ATMOS device into his hands once more and was about to walk out the room with Colonel Mace when he turned around to look at them. "No, that's fine."

"Good," said Martha.

As he left, Rose raised her eyebrows questionably at her friend. "Why?"

"He needs someone with him... he's not healed. You said it yourself but we can't force someone on him if he doesn't want the company."

"Sorry, but he told me what happened to him... I noticed the change in him and have tried to help him," said Donna, "but even I can see how badly he hurts. He needs you Rose."

"I know," whispered Rose, "but I can't stay with him. I had to get away... and going back to him and then leaving him again would hurt him even more. I'm sorry, Donna. If there was anything I could do, I would."

Before Donna could reply they heard a yell from outside the office. Exchanging glances with one another they made for the door, already knowing that the yell had come from the Doctor.

* * *

Colonel Mace had led him to the Factory plant floor, which was an open corridor, parallel to the work area. The Doctor was still fiddling with the ATMOS device, not really paying attention to where he was going.

"So, this ATMOS thing, where'd it come from?" he asked as he sniffed the device and then licked the casing as he followed the Colonel down the corridor.

"Luke Rattigan himself."

"And who is Luke Rattigan?" The Doctor looked around but then his eyes fell on two UNIT soldiers who stood on patrol at the end of the corridor. They hadn't seen him yet, but he knew them. His body shook and he could feel the blood rushing out of his face. He trembled and his mind went tumbling back into the past... back to the time when he had been a prisoner of the Master.

_He was back in that cell, in the Master's residence, curled up into a ball, trying to keep warm. The Master had offered no such luxury to him. He was hungry, his stomach aching from the lack of food. He could survive weeks without any but it was getting to the point where he needed it to survive. He could hear the sound of footsteps in the distance. _

_The door to his cell opened and light poured into his dark domain. Two UNIT soldiers stood in the doorway, mad grins on their faces. The Master had hypnotised them – they saw the Doctor as a piece of filth, ready to be kicked around like a football. He already had many bruises from their moments with him though they were far and few in-between. _

"_Hello FREAK!" one spat, their saliva pattering onto his face. _

_The other waltzed forward and, bending down, grabbed him by his hair and hoisted him up. _

"_Ow, ow, ow!" winced the Doctor as he was dragged to his unstable legs."Would you mind not pulling my hair out?" _

"_Oh look, Rick, it talks!!!" one of the soldiers said, laughing as he dragged the Doctor by his hair and then threw him roughly onto his stomach. The Doctor instantly curled up on himself, already knowing what they were going to do him. _

_Stars danced in front of his eyes as a booted foot connected with the back of his skull. He cried out. He was pushed onto his back and he stared up at his captors. The two UNIT soldiers, who had been hypnotised... tricked into believing he was an enemy of the state. Young and impressionable they had taken the Master at his word... not even his foe calling him 'Doctor' gave them a clue as to his true identity. But even he doubted that UNIT had an up-to-date profile on him. They might be aware of 'The Doctor' but not that he was 'The Doctor'. _

_And then the beating commenced: kicks and punches all over his body while the Doctor desperately tried to shield those blows with his arms, but he was weak and he couldn't hold against them for long. Darkness tugged at his vision and he felt his head swimming even more... _

_Rick's punch to the head silenced the world to him... _

He pulled himself back to the present. His hearts were beating fast inside his chest and his eyes were darting everywhere. Donna was kneeling next to him and he found himself leaning against the wall, his knees held up to his chest. Martha and Rose stood away from him, giving Donna some time with him. And then his eyes locked on the two UNIT soldiers he had seen earlier, the two whose faces and merciless taunts continued to assault him.

"Doctor!" Donna was shaking him gently. "Tell me what happened."

The Doctor tried to open his mouth but found the action impossible.

Donna looked frantically around; glaring at the few UNIT personnel who were watching this unfold. "Does anyone have any idea what happened?" she demanded, her eyes flashing with anger.

One of the UNIT soldiers moved forward, a guilty expression on his face. "I think I know."

It didn't take a genius to work out that this UNIT soldier had given the Doctor physical trauma. She could tell by the way the Doctor was shaking that he knew this particular soldier.

"Forgive me, sir, but I was under the control of the Master. We really didn't know who you were... We're both very sorry for the pain we caused you. Our punishment is remembering what has not been. We didn't know you were the Doctor that we are meant to protect and revere..." said the UNIT soldier the Doctor had never learned the name of.

Rick, the other soldier approached him, a look of remorse on his face. "I regret what I did to you every day. Everyone here knows what we did... We were both tricked into believing you were a danger. I'm sorry that you are still suffering from what we put you through..."

The Doctor was quiet, mulling things over in his head. He shifted position and slowly got to his feet. "You didn't know and I can't hold that against you... the shock of seeing you both here made me remember..." He shuddered as other memories forced themselves to the core. "But I forgive you. The Master was good at what he did... hypnosis is one of his specialities... no wonder you had no idea that I wasn't dangerous." The Doctor held out his hand in a gesture of peace, waiting for one of the soldiers to take it.

Rick was first and shook it. When he pulled his hand away he saluted. "Sir!"

The other soldier followed suit.

"Please," the Doctor smiled gently, "no salutes."

"Sir!" They both saluted again.

The Doctor couldn't help but laugh out loud.

**To be continued...**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**More soon!**

**the-writer1988**


	7. Five: The Sontaran Stratagem part two

**A/N) Here is part two! Currently am trying to write The Stolen Earth...and its coming along slower then I intended, but hopefully that will change once I get into the meat of it. Thank you for all the reviews so far! **

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**Chapter Five: **The Sontaran Stratagem _(part two)_

"Ok, so who exactly is this Luke Rattigan?" asked the Doctor, sitting down on a chair in front of a computer screen as Colonel Mace brought up images of a young man.

"A child genius. He invented the Fountain 6 search engine when he was twelve years old. Millionaire overnight. He now runs the exclusive Rattigan Academy, a private school educating students handpicked from all over the world."

"Oh, a hothouse for geniuses... my kind of place," grinned the Doctor. "Do you think you can get me there?"

* * *

After the Doctor's little setback, Rose, Martha and Donna returned to the office to gather a few supplies and see if there were any data on any of the employees who worked on the assembly line. As the girls searched, Rose found herself looking over at Donna who had a frown on her face, and a look which showed she might not be concentrating as much as she should do on the task at hand.

"Donna? Are you okay?" asked Rose.

The ginger-haired woman swung round, almost startled.

_Yes, _Rose concluded, _definitely in a world of her own. _

"'Course, I'm okay, yeah, sure I am!" She gave Rose a false smile.

"You're worried about the Doctor, aren't you?" asked Rose, exchanging a glance with Martha. The Doctor's captivity had left a lasting effect on him, anyone could see that.

Donna's shoulders sagged. "How'd you guess?"

"After what happened, I think anyone would be," intoned Martha. "You feel protective of him, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do," replied Donna, softly. "He needs someone to look after him... and you both left him. He is completely shattered. I noticed it straight away when I met up with him again. He was quiet, unusually quiet. He just couldn't stop talking when I first met him and Rose. I've tried to help him... We've been to Pompeii, to the Planet of the Ood... but nothing. He has only withdrawn further into himself." She shifted awkwardly on her feet.

"Something happened, didn't it?" probed Martha.

Donna nodded. "Pompeii. We arrived the day before the volcano was due to erupt. I wanted to help save them but the Doctor said it was a fixed point in time; that he had to allow it to happen. There were these alien things, pyroviles I think..." she swallowed, "underneath the volcano somehow stopping it from happening, but if the Doctor didn't stop 'em, they'd take over the world. The only way to defeat them was to blow the volcano..."

Rose put her hand to her mouth in shock. He was responsible for that? _Oh god... _

"He couldn't do it... he really couldn't. He didn't want to face being a murderer. I could already see then how much turmoil he was in. He had been hurt badly and now he was going to hurt an entire population... He _**wanted**_ to save them. One had to go: Pompeii or the Earth. He chose Pompeii in the end, but he hated himself for it. He hated the fact that he couldn't save anyone from the pain of that horrible, horrible death. I told him that not all of them had to die... I shouted at him to save a family; just one, just to make him feel better."

"And did he?" asked Martha, her hands hanging limply at her sides.

"He did...but he was quiet afterwards. Withdrawn... Being responsible for all those deaths... it's unhinged him... I worry that he's going to do something stupid... If I could make him better than I could, but I can't."

"Donna," said Rose, taking one of her hands in hers, "all you can do is support him. He will get through it. The most important thing is that you are there for him when he needs it. I first met him after something terrible had happened to him but being there with him helped. He just needs someone."

"But it isn't who he wants it to be, Rose," said Donna.

"I know," whispered Rose. "But I can't go back... I changed too much. I was willing to murder someone and I nearly did that. That is what the Doctor did to me, and why I can't go back to him."

"He probably blames himself," said Martha, wistfully.

Donna gave her a sad smile. "I think he does. He didn't want me to come with him when we met up again for fear of it happening again. He didn't mention you by name, Rose, but he said he had changed someone. I knew you two had left him, but I didn't realise he was referring to you specifically."

"Oh, right," said Rose, sadly. He felt guilty about that, so guilty he hadn't wanted another companion.

"Pardon me for asking, but what happened to you, Rose, that made you want to kill someone?" asked Donna.

Rose and Martha exchanged awkward looks. Silence fell between them.

"Does your family know where you are? That you are travelling with the Doctor?" asked Martha.

Donna understood that they didn't want to talk about the past and let it drop. It was a sensitive subject between them. "Not really... although my granddad sorta waved us off. I didn't have time to explain." She smiled at the memory of her granddad looking through his telescope and seeing her wave from the stars, out of the little blue box she had asked him to look for.

"You just left him behind?"

"Yeah."

Martha nodded. "I didn't tell my family. I kept it all secret and it almost destroyed them.

"In what way?" Donna felt unnerved.

"They were imprisoned. Tortured. It wasn't the Doctor's fault, it was mine, for not telling them the truth about who he really is. I regret that so much, but you have to be careful. The Doctor is wonderful, he is brilliant, but sometimes your loved ones suffer the consequences of your choices. I don't want that to happen to your family."

"Okay. I'll tell them the truth. I'll warn them about ATMOS too, just in case."

Martha gave her a smile. "Good luck."

"Thanks."

* * *

Martha had set up a medical post, Rose at her side, her purpose with her to give a secondary opinion if her friend required it throughout the investigation. The Doctor had temporarily left the base to go and visit the creator of the ATMOS system, and Donna had hitched a lift home to her family, leaving Rose and Martha to check out the workforce.

Rose waved the first candidate through to the makeshift tent, Martha had established on the factory floor. "Please, sit down," she indicated the chair in the middle of the tent, speaking to the first worker, a man with ginger hair and freckles.

The man sat down, completely still. Even Rose thought his apparent stillness was odd. She exchanged a look with Martha who had noticed it too.

"So, who is this?" asked Martha, in a bright voice.

"Mr Treppa," replied Rose.

"Thanks." Martha faced Treppa. "Listen, we're not checking passports. It's not about that. But did you come across from Poland just to work?" She was sure he was polish anyway.

"I came to do my job," his voice was monotone, no emotion embedded in it.

"Okay. I need to listen to your heartbeat." Martha held up a stethoscope, rubbing it with the palm of her hand. "This might be a bit cold. Lift."

Treppa did so and Martha placed it on his chest. _Beat, beat, beat, beat, beat, beat, beat, beat... _

"Odd," she muttered. "Are you on any medication?"

"I'm here to work." Again, monotone.

"How many hours a day do you work?"

"Twenty-four," was the reply.

Martha raised her eyebrows, glancing at Rose in astonishment. "You work twenty-four hours a day?" There was no response from her patient. He still had his shirt lifted and she motioned for him to put it down. "Mr Treppa," she tried again, "have you had any hypnosis?"

"I'm here to work."

"Okay... I'll be right back," she said to him and then nodded to Rose to follow her out of the tent. "He can't be human or if he is, its completely impossible."

"Something odd with his heart-beat?" asked Rose.

Martha nodded. "Yeah, it's going too fast. I think the Colonel needs to be alerted..."

"You don't wanna do more tests?"

Martha shook her head. "No... but a second opinion would be good before I take this to him."

Nodding, Rose stepped back into the nurses station, took up a spare stethoscope and, without even asking, lifted up the man's shirt. He didn't even react, not even blink, just stared forward. She placed the cold metal on his chest and listened to the heart-beat. _Beat, beat, beat, beat, beat, beat, beat, beat. _

"Blimey," she gasped, "that is fast." She pulled the stethoscope away, glancing back at Martha. "Yeah, take this to the Colonel, I'll get started on the other workers and see if there is anyone normal in this bunch."

Martha nodded and hurried off.

* * *

Rose had inspected another ten workers before she noticed that Martha had not returned with Colonel Mace. Thirty minutes had passed since her friend had gone looking for him. That was unusual...surely she would have found him by now?

Putting down the note-pad she had been using, Rose marched out of the tent and down the factory hall-way. As she rounded the corner she ran right into a Colonel Mace.

"Has Martha been to see you?" asked Rose, before her commanding officer could even get a word out.

"No, she hasn't. I haven't seen her, why?"

Rose bit her lip. "She was coming to find you. We found something, with the workers. I don't think they are human... But if Martha never found you, something has happened to her."

"Don't be so ridiculous, Miss Tyler!"

"This is a small site," pointed out Rose. "We know there is something suspicious going on. Martha couldn't have missed you if she tried."

"Have you tried phoning her?" suggested Colonel Mace. "You are great friends surely you have each other's mobile numbers?"

"I do," said Rose, pulling her phone out of her pocket. "Hold on, I'll try calling her." She used speed-dial to phone her friend. She waited but no answer. She shook her head. "Nothing. Martha isn't one to not answer her phone, especially in a crisis like this."

"Then we have a security breech," said the Colonel. He motioned to a passing soldier who had been on duty in the corridor since they had begun the raid that morning. "Have you seen Doctor Jones?"

"I have sir. Privates Harris and Gray asked her if she had security clearance level one, sir. They said that you wanted to see her, sir. She followed them."

"What direction did they go in?" asked Rose, her heart pounding in her chest. If the enemy had Martha, whoever they were then they were in big trouble.

"They headed down the corridor to the left. I don't know where they went, Miss Tyler, but Privates Harris and Gray were assigned to search the back of the factory, the storage area. They never reported in but they led Miss Jones away," said the soldier.

"Very good, soldier," praised Colonel Mace. "Miss Tyler, would you care to investigate the storage area with me?"

* * *

Quietly, but quickly Rose walked down the corridor towards the entrance to the storage area. Colonel Mace walked behind her and a troop of UNIT soldiers followed her. She swallowed, wondering why she felt fearful of this idea. Instead of barging into the place, Malcolm had recommended that they use a miniature spy-droid and insert it into the vicinity. Though Malcolm remained back at UNIT headquarters, Colonel Mace had issued a courier to bring the package containing the spy device to the ATMOS factory.

The device would work without any controls – it was programmed to stay hidden and take recordings of the intended destination, transmitting them live back to a central computer which had been set up in the UNIT lorry outside. Reaching the door, Rose knelt down and placed the spy droid on the floor. It was small chip, with a miniature camera functioning as its eye and three small legs propelled it along the floor. It was virtually unnoticeable: only someone with very good eyesight would see it.

The plan was for Rose to open the door to the storage area, but not to go inside. She would feign being called back by the Colonel, letting anyone know who was within the storage area that they were not in danger of being discovered, yet. In that time the spy droid would slip inside the room, scuttling along the wall and begin to transmit the data it had started to record as soon as she had placed it on the floor.

The UNIT soldiers were back-ups, just in case something went very wrong with her very simple plan.

She palmed the release mechanism, the door opening, but she did not look inside. Flaps covered the doorway restricting her view. Her phone began to ring, just as planned. She answered. A member in the control room had been given the duty of ringing her mobile as soon as the spy droid had made a successful transition from the corridor into the storage area.

"Hello," she said, stopping short of pushing herself through the flaps. A pillar stood in her way anyway, which restricted her vision anyway.

"It's in." Confirmation that her plan was a go and that everything was running according to plan.

"Ok, tell Colonel Mace, I'll be right up!" she said, which was her planned response in order to make the conversation seem genuine. She ended the call and pocketed it, turned away from the door. She gave the Colonel a thumbs up and jogged back to him. "It's done. It's in."

* * *

The control room inside the lorry was busy. One computer was crowded around by its operator, Rose and Colonel Mace. When they had got back to the lorry, confirmation had already come through that aliens were involved and that Martha had been taken prisoner. The camera-feed on the spider-spy had a good view of Martha's position, who was strapped to a basket, with a metallic band strapped to her head. The small droid had also been equipped to sending audio data back through as well as visual so they were able to see what exactly was going on.

"...just tell me who you are!" Martha's voice blared out from the speakers.

A rougher voice responded. Though the camera feed had yet to capture the alien in question, it was clear from the device Martha had been attached to and the tub of blubbing green goo was enough evidence to confirm that this was the work of aliens. "Commander Skorr of the Tenth Battle Fleet. Known as Skorr, the Blood-Bringer."

Rose raised her eyebrows, trying to keep back a laugh. "Wow, they don't need any self-esteem do they?" No one responded so she focused back on the camera feed.

"What have you done to those two?" asked Martha, indicating to whoever was out of shot.

"Simple hypnotic control as with the factory drones. But with you, we need something more complex."

"Ah," said Rose. "Drones." It all clicked into place.

"So they've hypnotised my soldiers into obeying their will," nodded Colonel Mace. He had his hands behind his back, a stony expression on his face.

The camera feed swung to the bubbling pool of green goo and to Rose's horror a hand and arm rose up out of the liquid.

"What the hell is that?" she gasped, her hand rushing to cover her mouth.

"Soon that will be you," came the response of Martha's captor.

The hand slowly sank back down into the tank.

"What are they planning?" asked Rose, her brows furrowed. "Why would they want to clone Martha?"

"You think that is what they are doing then?" questioned her superior officer.

"I do, yeah. Maybe... maybe we should, I dunno, let them clone her. I'm pretty sure that is what they are doing anyway. They must need someone inside UNIT. What if we let them have that but if Martha's life is put in danger, then we get her out? What if they think they are in control, but really, we are?"

"I wouldn't risk my staff like that, Miss Tyler. You should know me better then that by now," said Colonel Mace.

Rose pursed her lips. "I know. But sometimes letting the enemy think they've won, might be a good way of turning the situation to our advantage. I don't like it...but if they are not cloning her as I suspect, what do they need her for?"

Her question wasn't answered as the voice from Martha's captor came over the recording. The spy droid still hadn't caught a visual, but it was twisting and turning from the position where it had based itself. Then, it caught a flash of blue armour and they saw what it was. It looked like a potato, with two little beady eyes and a stubby nose. Its skin was the colour of mud and its mouth was scarred. It was bald.

"A Sontaran!"

"A what?"

"We've dealt with them before," said Colonel Mace. "We have protocols on how to do deal with them." He reached for his phone but Rose caught his arm.

"What are you doing?"

"Mobilising UNIT's forces. We have to move against them."

"The Doctor wouldn't want that," said Rose, her eyes locked onto Mace's.

"Unfortunately he isn't here."

"But there is only one!" responded Rose. "You can't just send a whole army of troops against one!"

"We don't know if there are more in hiding, do we? Better to kill the one we know about and risk having a whole league of them drop down on us," confided Colonel Mace.

"And what about Martha?" asked Rose, folding her arms across her chest. "Have you thought attacking could just put her in danger?"

It was obvious by Colonel Mace's awkwardness he had forgotten about Martha.

"There you go," said Rose, confidently. "You can't attack, not with her in there. Not without putting her at risk."

"Sir?" said the female controller who had continued to monitor the conversation from the live feed. "If I may interrupt?"

"Go ahead." Colonel Mace turned to her.

"Miss Jones is unconscious. The Sontaran has completed mental transfer. He stated that the clone needs full memory access. And, look sir, Rose was correct." The operator pointed to the screen where the figure in the bubbling pool of liquid had now emerged. "A clone. A copy of Dr Jones. And look," she pointed to where the real Martha was still lying the contraption, her eyes closed, looking peaceful. "She's still alive."

"Good," whispered Rose. She looked at Colonel Mace. "Your choice. What do you think we should do?"

"Can you contact the Doctor?" he asked.

"Yeah, I can, but he won't carry the mobile with him. It'll still be on the TARDIS. Do we have contact details for Donna Noble? She's gone home to see her family... maybe the Doctor has met up with her again."

"I can get them for you. UNIT does have access to all telephone numbers and email addresses to everyone in the country, even if they have elected to not have the number listed on public records. Even mobile numbers too. As UNIT, we are entitled to that information by law."

"Thanks, it might be our only way of contacting the Doctor and letting him know what's going on here."

* * *

"Come on, pick up the phone!" cursed Rose. She had acquired Donna's mobile number through the information records that UNIT had stored. It was imperative that she get hold of the Doctor in any way she could. The spy-droid was still in the storage-room but the clone Martha had been sent back to work by the Sontaran.

"Hello?"

"Donna!" shouted Rose in relief. "It's Rose. Please tell me you have the Doctor with you!"

"Yeah, he's fiddling around with mum's car."

"I need to speak to him! It's urgent!" said Rose.

"Hold on."

Rose tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for Donna to pass the phone to her Time Lord. "Oh, hurry up!!!"

"Sorry, he says he's busy," was Donna's response.

Rose growled in her throat. "Just tell him if he doesn't talk to me then he is putting Martha in more danger then she already is!"

Instantly the Doctor came on the phone. "Rose, what's happened?"

"First, we know who's behind it, its the –"

"- Sontarans, I know. Met one at the Rattigan Academy."

"Ah," said Rose, his confession about knowing the aliens had thrown her of track. "But that's not the point," she continued, "they've got Martha. They've cloned her."

"WHAT? How did they manage that?"

"I dunno! How the hell should I know how the Sontarans clone people?"

The Doctor sighed. "No, not that. How did they capture her?"

"Oh." Rose felt foolish. "They have hypnotised two soldiers. They lured her. We only found out when I noticed Martha hadn't come back from talking to Colonel Mace. Turns out, she never saw him. But a soldier on duty overheard her conversation with the two soldiers, so we took a guess and placed a spy-droid in the storage area of the factory. That's where Martha is and how we know she has been cloned. We haven't done anything about it, but her clone has been ordered back to work. No sign of her yet though."

"When you do, keep an eye on her. I'll get back to the factory as soon as possible," instructed the Doctor. "And make sure Colonel Mace doesn't attempt to attack them. That's the worst thing he can do."

"Done," said Rose. "And, good luck for whatever you are trying to do."

"Thanks." He cut the phone line off. Rose stood there thumbing her phone, wondering where she would find the clone of her erstwhile friend.

* * *

As Rose wandered the hallways searching for the cloned Martha Jones, she overheard the sounds of bullets coming from the direction of the factory's docking bay, where all the UNIT vehicles had been parked after taking control of the premises. She broke into a run and found herself amongst chaos.

Every UNIT vehicle was releasing fumes. It smelt horrible and Rose almost choked as the smoke reached her nostrils.

"Turn them off! Turn them off! Turn of all engines!" yelled Colonel Mace, who was covering his own mouth with his arm.

"It's all of them, sir! Reports say that is every single car on the planet!" shouted a soldier.

Rose swallowed in fear, backing away from the smoke. Poison gas, it had to be. The Sontarans were choking the entire planet! And then out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of Martha's clone, with Harris and Grey as her escorts. They were just strolling through the docking bay, ignoring all the panic as the UNIT soldiers attempted to stop the gas.

Resolve bit Rose, and bracing herself against the fumes, she followed her cloned friend through the gas and to UNIT's field base, determined to do exactly what the Doctor had instructed.

**To be continued... **

**Please let me know what you think! More coming soon... **

**the-writer1988**


	8. Six: The Poison Sky part one

**A/N) Well, we are now getting towards the halfway point in this story I think! Roughly 17/18 chapters in total I think. Coming along very well! With any luck, as soon as I've finished writing the entire story, updates will come every two-three days. That is a promise. ;) **

**Enjoy!**

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**Chapter Six: **The Poison Sky _(part one)_

Chaos roamed throughout the UNIT base. Orders were given over the radios, ordering them to make the factory secure and to take positions on the ground floor. Colonel Mace was running outside the factory, yelling orders to anyone who was not receiving any instructions through their radios. He shouted to a soldier with blonde hair, and a pointed nose. His pale blue eyes focused on the gas leaking from the vehicles, issuing his own instructions to have them pushed outside the factory.

"Wicowsky, take the soldiers into the factory! Make the area secure! Seal off all doors and windows," ordered Colonel Mace, as he moved back towards the UNIT truck, which, thankfully, wasn't issuing any of its own fumes.

"We've tried everything, it just won't stop!" yelled another soldier over the commotion as Wicowsky began to order his troops inside the base. With the factory becoming secure, Mace jogged back to the field base and ran inside.

* * *

Rose observed Martha's clone, scrutinising her every move. Her two UNIT escorts had remained outside, completely unaffected by the gas, but the Martha clone was being very careful. Each time the clone did something; she turned and looked for anyone that might be watching. Rose ensured she was busy at her own computer, which she had taken control of, but she was in the perfect position to take any action if needed to.

She watched as the clone used her friend's level one security clearance to get into the NATO defence system. She felt anger rush through her body at how her friend's memories were being treated and used. Martha was unintentionally betraying UNIT.

She saw as the clone inserted in a memory stick into the computer drive, downloading all the information on UNIT. Rose toyed with the idea of stopping her, but her orders from the Doctor were clear: to let the clone go about its business. She had already alerted Colonel Mace about the Doctor's instructions regarding the Martha clone and he had reluctantly agreed to let her roam free.

Then the Martha clone rose from her chair and walked right past Rose. Once she had moved out of eye-sight, Rose followed.

* * *

The Martha clone had returned to its vacant chair, after sending whatever she had downloaded to the Sontarans. Rose had logged onto the UNIT system and brought up radio waves that had been transmitted in the last few standard minutes – Martha's transmission had gone off the radar, proving that all the vital information that UNIT had, were now in the hands of the Sontarans. But UNIT was still in the game – their enemy had no idea that they knew they were there.

"Miss Tyler, have you heard from the Doctor yet?" asked Colonel Mace, stepping up behind her.

Rose shook her head. "Not since I called him earlier. He said he would be back on site soon."

"Greyhound Forty to Trap One, I have just returned the Doctor to base safe and sound, over."

Mace raised a hand. "Ah, there he is." He lifted up the radio to his mouth to confirm that the message had been received.

Rose kept her eyes focused on the Martha clone who had stopped what she was doing, only briefly, to overhear their conversation.

A few seconds later the Doctor came rushing into the UNIT field base. "Right, then, here I am, good! Whatever you do, Colonel Mace, do not engage the Sontarans in battle, there is nothing they like better than a war. Just leave this to me."

"Where's Donna?" asked Rose.

"At home, with her family."

"Oh... I would have thought she would have stayed with us," said Rose.

"And what exactly are you going to do?" asked Colonel Mace, eyeing the Time Lord.

"I've got the TARDIS. I'm gonna get on board their ship."

Rose's eyes caught Martha's movements. "Doctor..." she warned, nodding towards the clone, who had no idea that she was being watched.

"I suggest you don't touch that button, Miss Jones."

The clone whirled, her finger just inches from pressing a button on her UNIT phone. "I don't know what you mean."

The Doctor cocked his right eyebrow upwards. "Really? I know for a fact that you are not the real Martha Jones. You're a clone. And don't bother trying to deny it; we already know where the Sontarans are keeping the real Martha Jones. And quite frankly, if I hadn't have been told in advance that you were a clone, I would have realised as soon as I stepped into this room."

"I'm sorry, Doctor, but I really don't understand what you are talking about."

"Don't play games with me!" yelled the Doctor, viciously, his teeth clenched. Every UNIT professional was watching this scene unfold. "You are a clone, and I know it because of a few very simple things that only I would be able to see and smell."

The clone swallowed visibly, already knowing that there was no way out of this. No way of alerting her masters that their agent had been discovered. "And, what are they?"

"Reduced iris contraction, slight thinning of the hair follicles on the left temple and quite frankly, you smell. A clone smells especially to Time Lords: to humans, not so much... but to me, you stand out like a red haired lady in a crowd full of blondes. And I reckon, any minute now, the Sontarans will be launching an attack on the factory in order to protect what is keeping you alive. They need Martha Jones, but they didn't reckon on being spied upon by one of UNIT's finest scientists."

"I am in training, though," pointed out Rose, though she blushed at the Doctor's praise of her.

"And what are you gonna do about it, _Doctor_?" hissed the clone Martha as she leapt forward at speed, pushing the Doctor out of the way. Hands grabbed at her but she pushed passed them and out of the UNIT lorry.

The Doctor ran after her, Rose in pursuit. "Doctor, she pressed the button!"

"It doesn't matter! I need someone on the Sontaran ship. I've got what I wanted, but I didn't bet on it being Donna!"

Rose gasped. "But you said she was at home!"

The Doctor looked over his shoulder at Rose and grinned. "I know. I lied. I had hoped that I would have been inside the TARDIS when the Sontarans took it, but unfortunately I'm not."

"How do you know the TARDIS is no longer on Earth?" panted Rose. Martha was in the distance, running as fast as she could towards the back of the factory, the one place the UNIT soldiers had been told to avoid.

The Doctor tapped his forehead as he ran. "Telepathic link with the TARDIS. Has only gotten stronger since..." he trailed off and Rose realised he was remembering again.

"Focus!" she yelled.

He shook his head and gave her a small smile as a gesture of thanks.

"Doctor, what exactly are we gonna do when we catch up with her?"

"Capture her of course! We can't let her get back to the Sontarans, because if we do then they will kill the real Martha as her clone is no longer a use to them."

"Couldn't we just, you know, rescue her now?" asked Rose.

"We could... but we don't know how many Sontarans are in the factory. We don't want to stumble upon them, only for them to kill us as soon as they see us." He looked ahead and saw that the clone had disappeared from his vision. "Argh! Come on!"

* * *

They reached the back of the factory just as the clone Martha was pulling open the heavy door, usually reserved for people who were working night-shifts.

"Stay right there!" yelled the Doctor.

But the Martha clone did not, instead she slipped inside. The Doctor rushed forward, grabbing the closing door as the clone tried to pull it shut. Eyes wide with horror that her pursuers had nearly caught, the clone abandoned the attempt to close it.

Slipping through the gap in the door, the Doctor stumbled into the factory. "Stop right there!"

But the clone already had done. She was facing him, her back facing the entrance to the door where, no doubt, the real Martha had been hidden, but in the clone's hand was a gun, which was pointing right at the Doctor's forehead.

"Just one shot, and I can kill you stone dead," said the clone, an evil grin sliding across Martha's pretty features.

The Doctor sniffed, unperturbed. "You're not going to though."

The clone cocked her head to the side as Rose approached the Doctor from behind. "And why not?"

"Because you have Martha's memories. Look through them. She doesn't hate me. So why should you?"

"Doctor," whispered Rose, "are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Positive," grinned the Doctor, watching the clone.

"I – she – travelled with you. Saw the wonders of the universe..." the clone said slowly. "But that doesn't matter. You are still an enemy!"

"But not to _my _Martha," said the Doctor. "You can't hope to be her. If you go in there, you both die. If you reveal that we have uncovered you as a clone, the Sontarans have no reason to keep the real Martha alive. She's sustaining you. Without her memories flowing into you, you would be just an empty shell, and your body wouldn't be able to maintain your life-force. What's it going to be? Life or death?"

**To be continued... **

**Please let me know what you think! Please, please review! **

**More soon. **

**the-writer1988**


	9. Seven: The Poison Sky part two

**A/N) Another update... I've practically finished writing this story now. :D And am already handwriting out my next venture too!**

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**Chapter Seven: **The Poison Sky _(part two)_

"RIGHT!" the Doctor yelled as he bound back into the UNIT control room. "We now have an ally!"

Colonel Mace turned to face him, a stony expression on his face. "You better have a good reason why she is back here. I presume she is not the real Martha." He indicated the clone who was standing next to Rose.

"She's not. But we've struck a bargain, Colonel. She lives, in exchange for aiding us against the Sontarans," replied the Doctor. "Thanks to that, I now know what the Sontarans are planning."

"And what is that?"

"They want to turn Earth into a cloning world. That's what the gas is for – to convert the atmosphere. It will kill off the population, of course, but we have time to stop it," explained the Doctor.

"What's your plan, Doctor?"

"First of all, you cannot engage the Sontarans in battle," ordered the Doctor. "Right. Do we know whether there is a signal setting the gas off at all?"

"We do," nodded Mace. He pointed to a male controller at one of the UNIT stations. "He has traced a signal which is coming from five thousand miles above the Earth. We believe that signal is what triggered the cars to go off in the first place."

"The Sontarans have a ship in orbit," said the Doctor, on the balls of his feet.

"NATO has gone to Defense One. We are preparing a strike," confirmed the Colonel.

"You can't do that!" yelled the Doctor, anger rising quickly.

"I think you can find I can," stated Mace.

"If you do, then you will kill Donna Noble. She is on board the TARDIS, and the Sontarans have it onboard their ship. If you fire those missiles then you'll have one very angry grandfather coming to hunt you down. I promised him I would keep his granddaughter safe. Also, if you fire those missiles into the atmosphere you will set it on fire, suffocating the entire planet. Do you really want to be responsible for all those deaths? Hmm?" questioned the Doctor, standing right in front of Colonel Mace.

"No."

"Then you will tell NATO to stand down," hissed the Doctor.

Colonel Mace held the Doctor's eye, not backing down, but the alien's stare increased ten-fold and Mace indicated to the controller to inform NATO to stand down. "Very well. What is your plan?"

"First, I need to open communications with the Sontarans," said the Doctor. He raised his hand as the Colonel was about to protest. "Just don't. I need to get in touch with Donna, but they'll have kept the TARDIS within their transmission field, meaning, I can't speak to her and tell her what I need her to do. I need to bait them in order to get the TARDIS to a safer place on board their ship and out of their transmission field, that way I can safely contact Donna."

"And what does she need to do, Doctor?" asked Rose, intrigued as to what the Doctor actually wanted.

"She needs to reactivate the teleports, otherwise I won't be able to retrieve the TARDIS. The Sontarans will have shut them down to stop me teleporting back onboard their ship." He waved his hands in the air. "At the Rattigan Academy, the boy there, Luke, had a teleport pad in his living room. I used it; saw the big huge army of the Sontarans, which no doubt will be attacking that factory in order to protect their operative, so the only reasonable conclusion is for them to have shut it down to prevent me from using it again and going up there and facing them, which is why I need the TARDIS, which is why Donna has to go out into their ship and reactivate it. Make sense?"

Rose nodded. "But aren't you putting her at risk? She could be killed!"

The Doctor swallowed. "I know, but I have no other choice." He glanced towards the Colonel. "Now, if you excuse me I have a communication to make."

* * *

It had been uncouth of the Doctor to bait the Sontarans. He had even gone so far as to casually say he knew what they were up to. General Staal had not been pleased, but he had gloated that the Doctor couldn't stop him as they had his precious TARDIS onboard, therefore the only thing he could do was sit back and watch as the planet he loved, died. But the Doctor's goading of the Sontaran General about the war they were involved in had done the trick. He had made a point of waving his Sonic Screwdriver and claiming that he had the power to transport the TARDIS back. The General, being gullible, had believed him and cut the transmission.

"And you're sure that would've worked, right?" questioned Rose, arms folded across her chest.

"Of course," replied the Doctor, holding out his hand for Rose's mobile phone. "Now, I don't know Donna's number, but it's good that you have Martha's old one too, otherwise I really would be stuck."

"Consider yourself lucky," grinned Rose as she brought out her phone and selected the correct number before handing the mobile to the Time Lord.

"Sir! The platoon inside the factory are under attack!" reported a UNIT control officer.

The Doctor was on the verge of dialling the number, but he caught Colonel Mace's eye. "Pull them out, now!"

"I'm sorry Doctor, but they are attacking us. We can't retreat without a fight," insisted Colonel Mace.

"None of your weapons will work. You will lose soldiers if you fight back!" yelled the Doctor, even more louder than he had before.

But the Colonel didn't listen and ordered his troops to attack.

Over the communication radios they heard the sounds of dying cries as soldiers died, yelling that their weapons were not working. Then, finally, came a voice the Doctor recognised: Ross Jenkins, the soldier who had accompanied him to the Rattigan academy. His voice was calm, even in the face of death.

"The guns are not working. Inform all troops that standard weapons do not work! Tell the Doctor it's that Cordolaine signal. He's the only one who can stop -" But he was cut off.

Colonel Mace paled.

"Pull them out now, Colonel," said the Doctor, calmly, but even Rose could see the anger flaring in his eyes.

Reluctantly, Colonel Mace ordered the retreat from the factory. "Why would they attack now?"

"Because, Colonel, they will want to protect Martha. Stop us finding out that they have replaced her with a clone. Fortunately for us, we already know where she is. And that is what they need to protect," explained the Doctor, twiddling the phone in his fingers.

"Then we've got to recover her. This Cordolaine signal, how does it work?"

"The bullets," shrugged the Doctor. "It causes expansion of the copper shell."

"Excellent. I'm on it," said Colonel Mace, moving away from the Doctor and leaving the room.

The Doctor sighed. "I would say you can't fight Sontarans, but no one ever listens to me."

* * *

He had phoned Donna Noble, given her the instructions of what she had to do. Rose listened as he spoke to his companion, informing her that he was so sorry that he had to send her to what could possibly be her death. He needed her to reopen the teleport link but that meant wondering around the ship with no weapons... The Sontarans had deadlocked the teleport device and if she didn't do this then the whole world would choke to death. The Doctor needed to get onboard the ship, but with the teleports shut down and the TARDIS on their space-ship, it made the Doctor's position precarious.

Rose could see the haunted look in his eyes as he talked Donna through what she had to do; could see how much it hurt him to send her to a possible death. She could tell that he was remembering the past just by the way his cheeks had paled and his eyes kept flickering from side to side as he attempted to maintain control and guide Donna to her destination.

Rose could only imagine the horror the Doctor had suffered at the hands of the Master... she wished so much that she could just touch his head and clear all the pain away and _make him better. _But she couldn't. He had to do it on his own, without her. Like the Doctor, Rose Tyler had broken but she had pulled the pieces together and made herself whole again, but the Time Lord was still broken. Rose had been lucky. She'd had Martha and Jack to help her, but the Doctor had had no one, and she felt guilty about abandoning him.

In the end though, without a doubt, Rose Tyler felt certain that she had made the correct choice in leaving the Doctor. She wondered what would have happened if she had elected to go with her mother into that parallel world...? Would the Doctor still have met Martha? She had promised herself she wouldn't dwell on the past. She had made her choice and was suffering the consequences of that decision.

Colonel Mace tapped her on the shoulder and she jumped in surprise, so lost in her thoughts was she. The Doctor noticed that he had returned to and quickly said to Donna that he had to go, but ordered her to keep the line open.

"Doctor," began the Colonel, "we have a counter-attack prepared. If you would please step outside."

"You don't stand a chance against the Sontarans..." said the Doctor in return.

"Nice to know that you have faith in UNIT, Doctor," glared Colonel Mace. "Here. You'll need this." He threw the Doctor a gas mask.

The Doctor caught it and rolled his eyes at Rose, obviously not believing that the Colonel had come up with a suitable way to counter-attack the Sontarans. He followed the Colonel outside, Rose and the cloned Martha at his side. He slipped on the gas mask, and Rose giggled.

"You know, this kinda reminds me when we met Captain Jack for the first time," she said, her tongue poking out the side of her mouth. "You know, those gas-mask zombies and how everybody lives!"

"Are you my mummy?" asked the Doctor.

"You wish," laughed Rose, before slipping her own mask on over her face. The clone did the same.

Colonel Mace approached once more, but this time holding out a different gun to the Doctor. "Latest firing stock, should be suitable against the Sontarans."

"Yeah, but what's different about it that makes you so sure it is gonna work?" asked Rose, curiously.

Mace smirked. "Bullets with a rad-steel coating, no copper surface. It should be enough to overcome the Corolaine signal."

"You might have failed to notice, but the Sontarans have got lasers! Far more advanced technology then this!" said the Doctor, taking a full circle. "You can't even see in this fog and don't get me started on the night-vision!"

"I won't," growled Colonel Mace. "Thank you doctor for your lack of faith, but this time, I'm not listening to you. We are going to battle and we are not pulling out!"

It was clear to Rose that the Colonel had finally lost his temper with the Time Lord. He was beyond reasoning. She guessed the Doctor's attitude hadn't helped matters either. She listened intently as Mace addressed the soldiers, boosting their confidence that they could defeat the enemy, and that they would fight back against the invasion they were now facing. It was clear by the way the Doctor was standing that he was not convinced that UNIT could win.

Colonel Mace pulled his radio from his belt and spoke instructions into it. "Trap One to Hawk Major! Go, go, go!"

Instantly a loud sound started above them and Rose felt the wind blowing her hair back – it was like an enormous propeller, but the fog was starting to clear and then she saw it, above them in the sky. The Valiant! A grin came to her mouth as she pulled off the gas mask, able to breathe again without choking. But as she looked at the Doctor she saw fear in his eyes, and he was standing stock-still staring up at the UNIT carrier and she realised that he was remembering. That ship held so many bad memories for him...

"Doctor?" she asked, tapping him on the shoulder. "It's alright. It's over."

The Doctor swallowed and tore his gaze from the ship. "I know... But I can't help remembering..."

"No one would expect you to forget," said Rose gently, squeezing his hand. "Hey, at least that ship has come in useful. We can breathe again!" she grinned, attempting to humour him.

"Yeah..." he trailed off.

Colonel Mace turned towards the Doctor, his eyes shining with triumph. "UNIT Carrier Ship Valiant reporting for duty, with engines strong enough to clear away the fog!" He spoke into his radio once more. "Valiant, fire at will!"

Above them, three green beams unite from the Valiant in mid-air and fired towards the ATMOS factory. Rose's instant thought was for the welfare of her friend who was inside that factory.

"Don't worry, Miss Tyler, we made sure we targeted the area where they are not keeping Miss Jones prisoner."

"Good," she sighed in relief.

The UNIT soldiers had already begun to storm the factory. Reports were coming over the field radio as they moved in, quickly overpowering the Sontarans as their weapons now worked, securing the areas that the aliens had so recently taken from them.

"Doctor, what are we going to do?" shouted Rose, over the blast of the engines from the ship above.

"Retrieve Martha and set her clone free," he said, giving the clone a winning smile. "Come on!"

"What about Donna?"

He held up the phone. "Still connected! If she needs to talk to me all she has to do is dial the last number that called! I've got everything under control! Come on!" He ran off in the direction of the back door that the clone had led them to earlier.

* * *

"Shouldn't there be any guards?" asked Rose as they stepped through the door to the factory. The Doctor soniced the panel beside the second door which slid open, allowing them entrance into the cloning chamber the Sontarans had created in the storage area.

"Nah! They'll never miss out on a battle!" shouted the Doctor as he bounded towards where the real Martha was still in her hypnotic sleep, strapped in the metallic basket. He knelt down beside his unconscious friend, touching her pulse at the base of her neck. "Good," he breathed, "still alive."

He glanced towards the clone who was standing behind Rose. "I'm really sorry," he said.

His fingers snaked round to the device that was attached to Martha's head.

"Don't you dare!" shouted the cloned Martha.

Rose felt strong fingers grip her neck and she was forced to her knees. "What are you doing!" she managed to gasp.

"I knew you wouldn't keep your promise!"

The Doctor stared at her, a sad expression on his face.

"Doctor! What – does – she – mean?"

"If I release Martha from her hypnotic sleep, her clone dies. Martha's memories are keeping her alive."

"But – you – said – you – would – set – her – free!" Rose struggled out as the clone's grip tightened around her throat.

"Death is being set free," stated the Doctor, his voice sad. "But I can't let you live. I'm sorry." And he pulled the device from Martha's head.

Two things happened at once. The real Martha screamed, and the clone's grip tightened on Rose's throat but then she fell to the ground, her fingers loosening from Rose's throat. Rose pushed herself away from the clone and turned around, staring at her. The clone was clutching her chest, panting horribly, glaring at the Doctor in hatred.

"It's all right, I'm here. I've got you..." whispered the Doctor into the real Martha's ear, pulling his coat over Martha's shivering body.

Martha was frantic, trying to spill out her words, to get him to understand. "There was this thing, Doctor, this alien, with this head...!"

But then the mobile phone the Doctor was carrying rang and apologised and picked it up. "Have you got it?" He moved away from Martha who had caught sight of the clone, crumpled on the floor.

"Oh my god, that's me!" She was in shock.

"It's okay," said Rose. "You're safe now." She pulled her friend into a hug.

But Martha got to her feet, still wearing the gown that the two hypnotised UNIT soldiers had forced onto her, and walked towards her clone. She crouched down beside her and the clone redirected her attention to Martha. "It's not my fault. The Sontarans created you, but you had all memories..."

"_He_ promised me I would live!" spat the clone.

"But you are still living," said Martha. "I'm you and you're me. We're a part of each other. You may die, but you carry on living within me, within my memories. I could help but there can only be one of us... not two."

The clone was struggling to breathe. "In your mind, you've got so many plans. There is so much that you want to do."

"And I will," promised Martha. "There was a saying that mum used to tell me..."

"...Never do tomorrow what you can do today because you never know how long you've got," finished the clone. "Martha Jones....!"

And then the clones head dipped forward. She was dead. Rose pulled Martha into a hug, rubbing her back.

"I'm glad you're safe," whispered Rose into her friend's ear.

"Yeah, me too," said Martha, moving her hands forward so that she could retrieve her engagement ring from the clone's finger.

"AH-HA!" the Doctor yelled suddenly. He had been multi-tasking from being on the phone to Donna to fixing the teleporter which was rigged into the factory. "NOW!" He pointed his Sonic Screwdriver at the device.

Suddenly Donna appeared in the teleport pod. A smile of relief spread across her face and she ran towards the Doctor. "Have I told you how much I hate you?"

"Erm... what just happened?" asked Rose.

"He," said Donna, pointing to the Doctor, "sent me on a mission that nearly resulted in me being blasted to atoms!"

"You did well!" replied the Doctor, an innocent twinge in his voice.

"Well, there you go! I did well!" said Donna, sarcastically, looking at the Doctor, who was once more fiddling with the teleport.

"And the TARDIS is back down!" he yelled in jubilation.

"Oh," crowed Donna, "he gets excited about the TARDIS..."

"You're just as brilliant and useful as the TARDIS, Donna," complimented the Doctor. He turned and grinned at his companions. "Right, now, are all three of you coming?"

"Yeah, sure," said Rose, helping Martha to her feet.

"Erm," said Donna, "why are there two of you?"

"Long story," grinned Martha. "Save it for later, shall we?"

"Where are we going anyway?" question Donna. "I hope it's not back on that ship!" She joined him and Rose and Martha on the teleport platform.

"No," the Doctor shook his head. "I needed to get the teleport working so that we could get to..."

_

* * *

_

A flash of light and suddenly their surroundings had changed to a living room. A huge plasma screen lit up the wall and various instruments lined the walls.

"...the Rattigan Academy, owned by..."

A scrawny boy with messy black hair was pointing a gun at them. His voice was frantic. "Don't tell anyone what I did! It wasn't my fault, the Sontarans lied to me, they..."

But the Doctor was already strolling forward and grabbed the gun, cutting off Luke Rattigan. He threw the gun across the room. "If I see one more gun..." he muttered. He didn't even bother to explain himself, but walked straight out of the room into one of the many laboratories that Luke had set up.

By the time Rose, Martha, Donna and Luke had caught up to him he was already putting together a device from various items he had scourged from the laboratory.

"What exactly are you doing?" asked Rose, her eyebrows raised.

"You should know, you are in training after all," responded the Doctor as he twisted a long tube onto the base of the device.

"I haven't learnt that much to tell me what you are building!" protested Rose. "You're an alien, you're probably building somethin' alien!"

The Doctor sighed. "It's basic science! Just say, UNIT hadn't listened to me and had launched their nuclear strike... then as soon as the missiles hit the gas circulating the earth they would have gone off, probably killing the entire population. That is why they cloned you for Martha, so that they could stop us, but they didn't bank on me not wanting that to happen."

"So, basically, you're sayin' that they would have set fire to the atmosphere?" questioned Rose, slyly.

"Yup!" he cried. "They need all the gas intact to breed their clone army, and all the time we had Luke here in his dream factory. Planning a little trip, were we?"

The boy's voice was low, almost apologetic. "They promised me a new world."

"You were building equipment, ready to terraform El Mondo Luko so that humans could live there and breathe the air with this!"

"And what's that?" raised Martha.

"An atmospheric converter, one that hopefully will do the opposite and not kill the entire population when I set fire to the atmosphere!"

* * *

The Doctor, with the device held in his arms, ran outside of the mansion, onto the grass, resting the atmosphere converter on the ground. He knelt down beside it and started to twist and turn knobs on the side, his tongue poking out of his mouth as he worked.

Donna stood staring out at the landscape before them. The mansion was situated above London, looking down upon it, so the gas was not affecting them, but the capital could barely be seen. "That's London. You can't even see it... my family is in there."

"So is mine," whispered Martha.

"If I can get this on the right setting... Ah, there we go!" The Doctor stood up, holding a controller, which was connected to the device.

"Is igniting the atmosphere a good idea?" asked Rose, weary that the Doctor could possibly have made some fatal mistakes in his current mental condition.

"'Course it is!" He pressed the button and a flame shot from the device and into the sky.

A burst of flame appeared and quickly spread across the sky. They could hear crackling and burning and Rose took in quick, deep breaths. She was still breathing despite the atmosphere being set alight. She could see the Doctor with his fingers crossed begging for it to work. And then, the flaming sky disappeared to reveal blue sky above them, the sun shining down upon them.

"Oh my god..." whispered Martha.

"He did it!" squealed Rose, jumping up and down in glee.

Even Luke, the boy genius was laughing, astounded by the Doctor's work. "He's a genius!"

"Yeah, but this isn't the end of it," said the Doctor as he hefted up the atmospheric converter and began to run back into the mansion. "We're in trouble now!"

* * *

"Doctor, what are you doing?" asked Rose as she watched him stumble into the teleport pod, the atmospheric converter in his arms.

"Right, so... Donna, thank you, for everything. Martha, you too. Rose, I'm sorry I never said it, but I just can't. Please don't hate me for what I'm about to do. Luke, do something clever with your life." He said this with such rush that neither of his companions could take in what he was exactly planning to do.

"Doctor?" Rose stepped forward, unsure if she was understanding the Doctor's intentions.

"You're saying goodbye," said Donna bluntly.

The Doctor nodded. "Sontarans are never defeated. They'll be getting ready for war. And, well, you know, I've recalibrated this for Sontaran air, so..."

"You're gonna ignite them," said Martha softly, her eyes brimming with tears.

"You'll kill yourself," said Donna.

"NO! You can't!" shouted Rose, tears now pouring down her cheeks. "Not after everything we've been through!"

The Doctor was shaking his head. "I'm sorry. I have to."

Rose tried to swallow around the lump in her throat. "Can't you just...."

"Doctor, can't you put it on a delay, send it up on its own?" finished Martha, already guessing the question that her friend wanted answered.

"No."

"Why not?" demanded Donna, but her voice did not have the edge in it that showed that she was angry with him.

"I've got to give them a choice," he said softly.

Before anyone could stop him, he pressed the button and teleported away.

Rose stood there, arms at her side, numb with shock and despair. How could he do this to her? How could he so willingly give his life away? But she knew the answer. The Doctor was a saviour of planet Earth. But he was also damaged, hurt and broken from his time in captivity. He was probably fed up of hurting, wanted it to end, but carried on for those that needed him, but when it came to throwing his life away for the greater good, he wouldn't hesitate. But how could she accept that she was never going to see him again if he went through with the ultimate sacrifice?

She stood there, her body shaking. How could she live with herself for letting him do that?

"What are you doing?"

Martha's voice cut through her thoughts and she realised that Luke Rattigan was lying on his back in the pod, his fingers fiddling with a multitude of wires.

Luke stood up and faced the three companions, a solemn and sad expression on his face. "Something clever."

Instantly Rose understood what he was going to do and she leapt forward but the next second Luke had gone, teleporting himself to the ship.

Silence reigned in the room as they waited.

Seconds ticked by. Rose turned away, not wanting to know the outcome. Distinctly they heard the sound of an explosion, high up in the air followed by a loud thump. Rose whirled and saw....

... the Doctor lying on the bottom of the pod, a look of confusion on his face. He looked up and saw Rose staring at him.

"Could someone explain to me what just happened?" squeaked the Doctor.

Rose couldn't help but smile, and she rushed forward, throwing herself into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her, a look of relief on his face.

"I guess I survived then," he said.

"Yeah..."

"But Luke did not..." said the Doctor wistfully. "When I said 'do something clever with your life' I didn't mean that."

Rose laughed in relief. "I'm just glad you are still alive!"

The Doctor smiled sadly. He looked up as Martha approached who sat down beside him. Donna walked slowly towards him and then whacked him on his arm as she sat down.

"Don't ever do that again!" said Donna.

"I can't promise that, Donna," replied the Doctor. "But if suicide is the only option to save the world then I will...or even just to save someone, the same rule applies. I'm sorry."

* * *

"I've missed this place," said Rose, looking up at the TARDIS control column.

"Do you want to come with us then?" asked the Doctor. "You're always welcome on board."

Rose blushed. "I can't... someone's got to look after Martha and Tom... make sure they stay out of trouble... and besides, my career is important. I'm going somewhere with my life now, a place I never imagined I would get to... and that is all down to you, Doctor."

"You always had the potential, Rose. You just needed me to discover it."

Rose held out her arms and pulled the Time Lord into a hug. "Thank you. You'll come again if we call?"

"Yeah, sure. You know where to look me up," he grinned.

The doors to the TARDIS opened and in walked Donna and Martha. The red-haired woman was wiping tears away from her eyes. "Mum and granddad are fine. So!" She turned to Martha. "Are you going to come with us? We're not exactly short of space."

Martha shook her head. "No. I'm good where I am, back at home. Besides," she held up her engagement finger, "someone needs me. I've got a brand new world of adventure with Tom to explore, never mind the universe!" She cocked her head towards Rose. "Are you staying?"

"No, I'm staying home, with you, Martha," replied Rose, giving Donna a hug. "I've found my path in life."

Martha smiled and took Rose's hand in hers. "Come on." They turned towards the door but before either of them could make a move, the doors slammed shut and the TARDIS began to shake wildly as it took off from Earth and hurled itself into the Time Vortex. Rose and Martha stumbled back to the console where they grabbed for it to catch their balance.

"What the hell -?" demanded Rose.

The Doctor was holding onto the console, an expression of shock on his face. "What?"

"Doctor! Don't you dare!" yelled Martha, as the shaking increased, causing her to grip harder on the TARDIS console to maintain her balance.

"I didn't touch anything!" protested the Doctor. "We're in flight but it's not me!"

"WHERE ARE WE GOING?" shouted Donna over the racketing of the TARDIS.

The Doctor shook his head. "I don't know. The TARDIS is out of control."

Rose couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Brilliant!"

Martha demanded in frustration: "Doctor, just listen to me! You take me home, take me home right now!"

The TARDIS hurtled through the Time Vortex, its four occupants having no idea why or where they were going.

But there was only one thought on Martha Jones' mind: To get home to Tom safely.

**To be continued...**

**Please let me know what you think! The Doctor's Daughter coming up next... :D**

**Coming soon!**

**the-writer1988**


	10. Eight: The Doctor's Daughter part one

**A/N) Three parts to this one... Hopefully this is quite a different take on the broadcast version. I would like to thank reddwarfaddict for providing me with one of Donna's lines in this chapter. you'll know it when you see it ;)**

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* * *

  
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**Chapter Eight: **The Doctor's Daughter _(part one)_

Sparks flew from the console as the Doctor fought for control: the TARDIS still spinning in the vortex, sending its passengers falling to the floor hard. Rose scrambled to her knees, holding onto the grating for dear life. Over the sounds of bangs and the Doctor's frantic shouts of worry, she could hear Martha and Donna yelling for their lives. The TARDIS was out of control, heading towards a destination that neither of them could fathom out.

"The controls aren't working! I can't pull us out of this spin!" he shouted to them. He reached out and twisted a knob but more sparks flew, burning his hand and he leapt back, falling to the floor. His eyes found his hand in the jar which he had retrieved from Jack's possession so long ago... "Why are you bubbling so madly?" he said almost to himself.

Shrieks filled the air, more sparks erupting from the console and then... silence; the shaking stopped. The TARDIS had grounded to a halt.

"What the hell happened?" gasped Martha, sitting up from the grating, where she had been thrown to as the time ship had made that final lurch.

"I really don't know," replied the Doctor, his voice unsure. "But my hand is bubbling."

"That's your hand?" asked Donna, shock erupting across her face.

"Yes."

"Okay... you aliens are just plain weird, that's all I'm sayin'!" said Donna.

"That's always the best policy to take," said Rose, flexing her arms to make sure she hadn't injured them during the course of their erratic flight. "You're not going out there, are you?"

The Doctor was beside the TARDIS doors, both hands ready to pull them open. "We've been brought here for a reason... nothing can hijack the TARDIS like that. I don't think we should leave until we've found out why."

Martha crossed her arms. "I'd like to get back to Tom," she said.

"You will!" protested the Doctor. "Just let me have a look outside!"

All three of his companions exchanged glances. They wouldn't be able to stop him, even if they tried. The Doctor lived for adventure. Rose sighed. "Well, we are here, aren't we? We may as well see what is in store for us."

The Doctor grinned at them, grabbed his coat and ran out the door. Shrugging, the three companions followed him.

* * *

"GET DOWN!"

Rose ducked instinctively, throwing herself flat on her front, dust flying up into the air as she slammed down hard on the rocky ground. She fought against the impulsive to cough. Bullets sprayed where she had just been standing, hitting the side of the TARDIS but not denting or scratching the wooden box. Beside her Martha was curled up, her hands over her head in a protective bubble, with Donna laid flat out on her back, her chest pumping up and down quickly.

The bullets stopped and Rose risked a glance up. The Doctor had landed the TARDIS in the middle of a battle: humans and fish-things fighting each other, gradually cutting down their lines. They were in a tunnel, various pieces of machinery scattered across the floor, wedged into the muddy earth. If they could get to the shelter of one of the protruding machinery then they might stand a chance of surviving this. The two armies had resumed firing at one another but as Rose made her way forward, Martha and Donna moving slowly behind her, she was on the look-out for the Doctor. The bullets still sprayed over-head, but neither of them was targets. Caught in the middle of the battle, all they could do was get behind shelter as quickly as possible.

Where was he? She couldn't even see him amongst the sounds of battle. A human soldier fell to the ground, blood pouring from a wound in the centre of their chest. The fish-things, behind her, cheered in jubilation. What the hell was going on here? As she crawled behind a large metallic box, away from the battle, she caught sight of the Doctor, hidden amongst the human fighters, tied up and gagged, struggling against their hold on him. Three of them were rushing him away from the battle, towards a small cavern to the left. Another, similar opening was on the fish-things side. But then her attention was taken away from the Doctor as Donna yelled from behind her.

"GET OFF ME YOU FREAKY ALIEN FISH! I'LL PUT YOU IN BATTER, I SWEAR!"

She turned to see the ginger-haired woman being grabbed by the fish-things. Despite Donna furiously pulling, the aliens continued to haul her back towards their line of soldiers. Rose bit her lip – what could she do? They were stuck in the middle of a battle with one of their companions taken by one side and another the other side. She turned to Martha who had crawled behind the debris she had chosen as cover. She could see Donna kicking and screaming as she was pulled further back.

"What can we do?" hissed Rose.

"They're breaking off," whispered Martha, taking a risk by peering over the edge of their shelter. She grabbed Rose's arm. "You follow the Doctor, I'll follow Donna."

"But...but..."

"No buts!" shouted Martha. "We can't let either of them out of our sight. Besides," she reached into her pocket and pulled out her mobile phone. "Mobile phone, remember? I have universal roaming still... I should be able to keep in contact with you."

Rose couldn't help but grin. "Brilliant. Okay, we'll do it." She pulled Martha into a hug. "Good luck."

"You too," smiled Martha, before she scooted away, towards the line of retreating fish-things.

* * *

The intense battle they had landed in was dying off, retreats were in progress. Rose scooted across the barren area, slipping behind machinery and abandoned drives as she headed towards the exit the Doctor had been herded through. She bypassed the last line of defence that the Doctor's captors had put up, running towards the hole in the wall. In the distance she could see Martha doing exactly the same. She grinned. Just like old times.

She slipped through and found herself in a corridor. It was barely lit and rocks littered the floor suggesting hasty construction. She heard the sounds of voices and walked quietly to the nearest room. She peered around the door and looked inside.

The Doctor was standing in the middle of the room, one of the soldiers were pointing a gun at him. Around him the rest of his escort was busy turning on some sort of machine which stood to the side of the room. It had two doors that when activated would slide open, and a bright light shone from the closed doors – a bluish tint in them. It was almost like an elevator the way it had been built into the wall, however whatever it was; it was most certainly not what Rose thought it looked like. Normally she would go rushing in but they were not harming him yet...best to find out what she could by waiting.

"Alright," one cocked his gun towards the Doctor, "we're gonna untie you, but if you move we won't hesitate to hurt you! Understand?"

The Doctor nodded through his gag. Rose bit her lip, watching her best friend be untied and the gag taken out of his mouth. "So, what's going on here?" he asked, spritely. Two of the guards grabbed his upper arms and pushed him forward. "Hey, careful! I'm delicate, you know!"

"You've got clean hands," said one of the soldiers, holding up one of his dirty palms. "We can use you."

"What for?"

"You'll see," replied the soldier.

The Doctor was led towards a big round machine which was attached to the bluish glowing device on the wall. Rose leaned forward, keeping her breathing low, watching.

She saw one of the guards lift up the Doctor's right hand and force it into the machine. Whirring noises erupted from the device and the Doctor yelled in pain. Rose had to force herself to stay still and not rush in and help him. Finally, after a few more bouts of pain, the Doctor's arm was released from the machine and he fell back, stumbling on his feet. From her vantage point she could see blood dripping from the Doctor's palm.

"What on earth did you just do?" asked the Doctor, as the larger machine opened its double doors and from amongst the smoke billowing out of the machine, out-stepped a young woman, with long blonde hair tied back, startling blue eyes and wearing immaculate make-up.

"Oh, no, please tell me you just didn't give me a daughter!?!" moaned the Doctor, as he stared at the young woman, eyes wide.

One of the soldiers stepped forward holding a gun and held it out to the young woman. "Arm yourself."

The woman handled the gun naturally, like all the knowledge of how to use one had been programmed into her during her quick – and rather impossible – creation.

Suddenly, from behind her, Rose heard the sound of a gun cocking her way. She swallowed and looked over her shoulder. The rest of the combatants on the field of battle and finally made their retreat and she had been silly enough to hide outside the doors that no doubt they would have gone in without a moment's hesitation if she hadn't planted herself outside it. "Erm, hello?"

"Stand up," said the male soldier, his voice hard and scornful.

Rose got to her feet, already understanding that escape was fruitless. The soldier grabbed hold of her arm and pushed her through the door where the Doctor, his 'daughter' and the other soldiers stood.

"Look here Cline, we've got another one for ya!"

"Hey, get off me! No way am I having my hand stuck inside that machine!" protested Rose. She was pushed forwards and nearly stumbled, but the Doctor caught her, gathering her into his arms. "Hi."

The Doctor smiled. "Knew you'd find me."

"Didn't do a very good job of rescuing you, did I?" she teased, despite the seriousness of their predicament. She nodded towards the blonde woman who was staring at them. "Is that really your daughter?"

"Technically," he replied.

Cline turned towards the woman. "Are you primed to take orders, ready to fight?"

"Instant mental download of all strategic and military protocols, sir. Generation 5000 soldier primed and in peak physical health. Oh, I'm ready!"

"Wow," whispered Rose. "Soldier. Like a computer programme if all that knowledge was zapped into her."

The Doctor was shaking his head. "She's impossible!"

"I'm right here, dad," said the woman. "I'm alive. I came from you. It's not impossible, just illogical."

Rose giggled, slapping the Doctor on his back. "Oh, she's definitely your daughter!"

"No, no, what I mean is that reproduction from a single organism is practically impossible. You being here mean's you've broken the laws of physics! Taking a sample of diploid cells and splitting them into haploids and then recombining them in a different arrangement and grow, very quickly is impossible to all intents and purposes."

"And yet I'm here," said the woman.

The Doctor was rubbing his hands through his hair very rapidly, making it even more untidier then it already was. "Ok, maybe it is quite easily achievable, but it is just insane for you to be here that quickly."

"Alright!" interrupted Cline, brandishing his gun at the Doctor. "No more chatter from you! We can create hundreds of soldiers from you two alone."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "Really? What if we don't want sons and daughters?"

"You have to. It is compulsory law around here," replied Cline.

"Right... despite the fact that we just landed here by mistake, we automatically have to be 'processed'?" asked the Doctor, his voice barely shaking with anger.

"It doesn't matter how you got here or why," repeated Cline, "it is compulsory. Everyone has to take part. I'm sorry, but you have no choice in this."

The Doctor was about to reply when another soldier came running into the room. "Sir! The Hath are coming!"

"Everyone get out of here now!" shouted Cline. "You," he pointed to another soldier, "look after the new soldier, and make sure these two don't try to run off! We can present them as prizes to General Cobb! Everyone else, stand and fight!"

The Doctor, Rose and the woman were herded away out of the room. Twisting his head around in the gloomy corridor, the Doctor could see the Hath advancing, bullets spraying through the tunnel, hitting soldiers as they fought against their attackers. Two soldiers fell, not screaming as death took them. Dimly they heard Cline yelling that they had to blow the corridor and that a detonator was needed.

A Hath broke through the crowd of soldiers and aimed its gun right at Rose. The Doctor pushed himself in front of her, shielding her from the bullets, but none came his way. Instead the woman had leapt to the rescue, lashing out and kicking the Hath's weapon from its fingers. She bent down and picked up an abandoned detonator; the Doctor seeing what she was about to do yelled for her to not to do it, but his daughter ignored his yell and pressed the button.

"EVERYONE OUT!!" yelled Cline, breaking into a run and herding the rest of the survivors and the prisoners deeper into the corridor and round a corner before an earth-shattering blast reached their ears.

"NO!" shouted the Doctor, pulling away from the soldiers and rushing around the corner. Dust was still settling and he coughed, but even through the darkness that occupied the corridor, he could tell that they were now trapped with possibly no way out. He was cut completely off from the TARDIS and Martha and Donna, wherever they were. The corridor had been blocked by the falling ceiling. Small rocks dribbled down from the highest point, but he could see no way he would be able to return to the main tunnel to collect the TARDIS.

They were stuck.

"You sealed off the tunnel. Why did you do that?!" yelled the Doctor suddenly, whirling round to piece the young woman with a glare.

She did not tremble, but stood resolute in front of the man that they had used to create her. "They were trying to kill us."

"Two of my companions are on the other side of that rubble. You could have even killed them by doing that!" he yelled, spit flying.

"Collateral damage," replied the woman, stubbornly. "At least you've still got her, he lost four men in this fight. I'd say you came out ahead."

The Doctor continued to glare, but Rose stepped in front of him, facing the woman, her own blazing with anger. Her face was red. "My best friend is out there. Her name is Martha Jones. My other friend is Donna Noble. Taken by these Hath. Now, you can let us go find them, or you kill us because neither of us will become your puppets to create more soldiers from!"

Click of a gun. Rose turned to see Cline pointing it at her. She sighed.

"You're going nowhere. You don't make sense, you two. No guns, no marks," he briefly showed them the back of one of his hands which were littered with scars of X and Y's, "no fight in you... I'm taking you to General Cobb. Now, move!"

**

* * *

**

Martha had been lucky so far: she had avoided detection by the retreating Hath fighters. She had thrown herself into a gap in one of the corridors and let them pass her by. Once she had been sure that no more were heading her way she crawled out of the small space and followed them as a brisk jog, ensuring that her feet did not make a sound on the floor. She had lost track of Donna long ago due to having to hide, but she had a good idea of the general direction her friend's captors had taken.

She prayed that Rose was having better luck then her.

* * *

They were ushered through the corridors of what appeared to be an underground base. Neither Rose or the Doctor had seen any light of any sort since they had arrived on-world, suggesting that they were deep under the earth. The woman walked in front of them, not speaking to them. Rose didn't know what to think about the Doctor's new found parenthood. She couldn't blame him for what had happened but he was doing his absolute best to say that he disapproved of her, but considered his attitude to guns, it did not surprise her.

Rose moved up quickly and started to walk beside the woman. "My name's Rose, what's yours?"

The woman shrugged. "Don't know. It hasn't been assigned to me."

"Oh." Rose could not imagine what it was like to not know your name. How could one refer to her? "Well, okay then, what do you know?"

"How to fight," stated the woman.

"Oh."

"The machine must embed military history and tactics but no name. She's a generated anomaly," said the Doctor, who was walking behind them, a sullen expression on his face, and his hands thrust into his coat pockets.

"There you go! Your father just named you!"

"He did?" asked the woman.

"I did?" said the Doctor simultaneously.

"Yes!" laughed Rose. "Don't you see?"

The Doctor shook his head looking utterly confused.

"Generated anomaly?" probed Rose, looking at the Doctor with a serene look on her face.

"I really have no idea how that can mean I just named her," pointed out the Time Lord.

"Jenny?" said Rose. "As in Jenny-rated?"

"Oh... I see."

"Good, got there in the end!" grinned Rose. "So," she cocked her head towards the young soldier. "What do you think? Jenny?"

The woman seemed to think about it for a second before turned to Rose, her face brightening into a huge smile. "Jenny. Yeah, I like that, Jenny."

"You mentioned years ago that you were once a dad," said Rose, "why can't you be more involved in this process? You have experience, you have wisdom with children, why can't you bring that to the fore now?"

The Doctor was silent, a mournful look on his face. Finally he said, "Rose, all my children died a long time ago. I out-lived them. It's hard to generate love or even feelings for something that was created by using stolen tissue sample. This is not natural! Jenny is just someone who has my DNA! I didn't create her willingly, I was forced into it! Why don't you try and extrapolate a relationship from a biological accident?"

"Because it didn't happen to me, it happened to you," said Rose quietly. "Whether you like it or not, Jenny is your daughter."

"Well, if I could have done something about it, I would have made sure she hadn't been created in the first place. And this wouldn't have occurred if the TARDIS had brought us here!" yelled the Doctor in frustration. He clenched his fists at his sides.

Rose could tell that his mind was still suffering from everything that had happened to him. He found it difficult to accept someone who could be just like him and who could potentially harm him whether physically or emotionally. Rose grimaced. Her actions from the time she had chosen him over her mother up until wanting to kill the Master had been emotional torture for him, one that he wasn't keen to repeat so soon. She wondered what would happen to Jenny if they managed to get out of the situation they had found themselves in. She hoped the Doctor would not abandon her but find a way to accept her in his heart.

* * *

They had been bought to a large room, which had been located just off from the main corridor, and down part of a tunnel before they had emerged. To Rose it looked like a theatre.

"So, I was never told exactly where we are," said the Doctor as he looked around, noting that soldiers were milling throughout the room, some of which were sticking their hands into one of the processing machines, therefore lending their DNA to create more soldiers. One by one, the army of humans was growing. "What planet is this?"

"Messaline," said Cline, "well, what is left of it."

"Oh."

"Years and years of war have made us live this life," said Jenny sadly.

Rose caught the Doctor looking at his daughter, noting that he had perked up at the dismalness in her voice. Perhaps Jenny was more like him then he realised? She made a note of that and filed it away for later.

A tall, much older man, with greying hair, intense green eyes and stained teeth approached them, Cline at his side, who had obviously just reported to him.

"General Cobb, I presume?" asked the Doctor, standing straight and tall and eyeing the General with displeasure.

"Your blue-box appeared in the middle of battle, I'm told, and you and your friends stumbled out of it. You were lucky you were not shot on sight. Tell me, where are you from?"

"Oh, here and there. I don't really have a home," explained the Doctor. "I'm the Doctor and this is Rose."

"And this is Jenny," said Rose, on behalf of the new soldier.

"Another soldier, excellent!" praised Cobb. "I hope you are committed to the fight, to the very end."

"She might be, but I'm not," commented the Doctor, looking around the room they were in. It was quite dull but there was an air of people being fed-up. It was clear from the atmosphere that these people were clearly fed up of fighting. "I need to find my two friends. We got separated."

"Impossible. All movement is regulated. We are at war."

"Yes, I noticed. With the Hath. But tell me, why exactly?"

* * *

Martha had tracked the Hath to their base where she found Donna being tended to by her captors. She was standing in the centre of their base, which was filled with electronic equipment, a weary expression on her face as several hundred Hath crowded around her.

"Oi! Don't touch the hair!" shouted Donna as one moved its hand to pet her head. She looked around, trying to find a way out of the group of Hath, but instead she spotted Martha peering round the entrance and signalling that she should not give her away.

"How do I get Donna out of there?" mused Martha. She frowned, and fiddled with her phone before decided to retreat back up the corridor where she hoped she would be a safe distance from discovery, where she could safely make a call to Rose's phone. Her friend's phone was not connected to the Universal Roaming Network, but she hoped that her phone could still reach Rose's considering it did have that connection.

She sat in a small space, in the section of a wall that was big enough for a small human to crawl into. Martha had been lucky as there had been several such places along her route to the Hath camp. This place was falling apart. Hasty construction methods had not bode well for the tunnels and corridors that had been built.

Finding Rose's number, she dialled it.

* * *

"What's that noise?" demanded General Cobb as Rose's phone went off. The General had already explained to the Doctor that the ancient halls that they now stood in had been carved from the earth and their ancestors had dreamt of a new beginning where a colony of human and Hath could work and live together. According to Cobb, the dream had died, broken along with Hath promises, stating that they had wanted it all for themselves, but the early human pioneers had fought back. All the machines that had been used to produce colonists had been converted to soldiers and so had begun the battle for survival.

"That's my phone," said Rose, pulling it out of her pocket and showing it to Cobb. "Hold on. Hello?"

"Rose! Thank god I managed to reach you!"

"Martha!"

"That's Martha on the other line?" asked the Doctor, a grin starting to spread across his face.

Rose nodded. "Where are you?" She listened to what Martha had to say and then told her that if any opportunity arose to get Donna out of there. When she had ended the call the Doctor looked expectantly at her. "Martha has found Donna. She's safe in the Hath camp. She's staying hidden but I told her if a situation arose, then she would have to get Donna out of there."

"Good," breathed the Doctor. "You did well."

"Thanks, I think," replied Rose. She turned back to General Cobb. "Sorry about that? You were saying?" She looked up at the windows that decorated the hall. "Why build everything underground?"

"The surface is too dangerous," said Cline. "Everybody knows that."

"Well, I didn't!" replied Rose. "But anyway, why build windows in the first place?"

Silence. No one had an answer for that.

"How long has this war gone on for?" questioned the Doctor.

"Longer than anyone can remember. Countless generations marked only by the dead."

"Fighting all this time?" said Rose, incredulously.

"We have to," spoke up Jenny, sadly. "Every child of the machine is born with this knowledge. It's our inheritance, it is all we know: how to fight and how to die."

**To be continued... **

**Please let me know what you think! Part two coming soon in the next few days! **

**the-writer1988**


	11. Nine: The Doctor's Daughter part two

**A/N) Another update! And as of tonight, I have officially finished writing Promises! So updates will be every two days from now on! (However, the next part of TDD, will be added tomorrow.)**

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**Chapter Nine: **The Doctor's Daughter _(part two)_

By the time Martha had made it back to the Hath camp, Donna had managed to extract herself from the aliens and was attempting to engage them in conversation by looking at a map. She was pointing at various sections of the map trying to figure out exactly where they were.

Suddenly the map shimmered and changed, expanding outwards, adding more tunnels and corridors to it. Martha had seen that Donna had not touched anything, save for the hologram image. Pulling out her phone once more she sent a text to Rose, keeping her up-to-date on the situation.

* * *

Rose stared at the map the Doctor had just uncovered using his sonic screwdriver on one of the screens. Her phone bleeped. They had discovered about the legend of the Source, the object that would enable the bearer to control the destiny of the planet. The Doctor had seemed very sceptical, dubbing it a creation myth. She had also noted that Jenny had seemed very interested in what her father had to say about why it was a creation myth and not real as the soldiers believed. If the Doctor accepted Jenny, Rose was sure she would make a valuable companion for the Doctor once he dropped her and Martha back home on Earth.

She looked at the text, eyes widening in disbelief. "Doctor."

"What is it?" he asked, his concentration fully on the parts of the map that had just appeared due to his fiddling.

"I think you just unintentionally helped the Hath."

"What?" stormed General Cobb. "What do you mean, girl?"

"Rose, what did I do?" asked the Doctor wearily.

"We were looking at the original map, right, well so was Donna and the Hath, and when you played with your Sonic, you made more tunnels appear on the map. Donna didn't touch anything but things have just been added at her end. The Hath have the same information we do."

"They know how to find the Source!" General Cobb began pacing, frantic in his steps. "We must move and quickly. Our only consolation is, is that we are closer to it then the Hath. We stand a chance of winning this war." He turned towards Cline. "Tell everyone to prepare to move out. We'll progenate new soldiers on the morning shift, and then we'll march. It's only two hours till daytime – everyone needs to rest. Once we reach the Temple, peace will be restored at long last!"

The Doctor raised his hand. "Um, call me old-fashioned, but if you really wanted peace, couldn't you just stop fighting?"

"Only when we have the Source. It'll give us the power to erase every stinking Hath from the face of this planet!"

"WHAT?" shouted Rose. "You can't do that! That's inhumane!"

The Doctor raised his hands, stepping in front of General Cobb. "Hang on, hang on, a second ago it was peace in our time, now you're talking about genocide!?"

General Cobb nodded, glaring fiercely at the Doctor. "For us, that means the same thing."

The Doctor shook his head in disappointment. "Then you need to get yourself a better dictionary. When you do, look up genocide." He placed his hands on his hips and leaned forward, his gaze intent. "You'll see a little picture of me there and the caption will read 'Over my dead body'!"

Rose stifled a laugh, looking towards Jenny to see that she too, had a small grin on her face. She was certainly her father's daughter, rebellious and against violence, in some ways.

Cobb snorted. "And you're the one who showed us the path to victory!" Which was true. If the Doctor hadn't meddled with the hologram interface then he would never have uncovered the new portion of the old map. "But you can consider the irony from your prison cell. Cline, at arms! Take them. I won't have them spreading their silly peace ideals. The only way we can win this war is through our own way of peace and that is annihilation!"

"That is wrong!" shouted Jenny. "You can't hope to kill all them! Their type of peace is better than your peace!"

_Definitely the Doctor's daughter, _mused Rose.

The Doctor's arms were pulled behind his back by another soldier but he caught Cobb's eye. "I'm going to stop you. You need to know that."

Cobb sneered and placed his hand on his gun, holstered at his side. "I have an army and the breath of god on my side. Doctor, what do you have?"

"My brain," he replied as he was dragged away.

Rose was grabbed too and was hauled away. She saw Cline ask the General about Jenny, and then she too was escorted with her father and his companion towards the cells.

* * *

"Great," muttered Martha, "the Doctor and Rose are out of action. Just what I need." She had just received another text from Rose. The humans were getting ready to end the war and to all intents and purposes, from her vantage point, Martha could see the Hath doing the same. This was not good. She had to get to Donna and fast.

* * *

"We've got to get out of here," said the Doctor as he paced up and down the cell.

"Err, sonic?" asked Rose. "Can't you use that?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"A sonic is hardly going to work against a guard."

"Oh." Rose conceded defeat, understanding the Time Lord's point.

"You said the breath of life story was a myth," said Jenny suddenly. She was standing with her back against the bars, arms folded across her chest. "I believe you – I don't know why I do. But there must be something in it for all of them to believe it?"

The Doctor nodded. "There is probably something real in the temple, something that has been distorted over time. It's not about the creation of the universe. I was there at the beginning of the universe. I know it's not a creation myth. But whatever is in that temple, it could potentially be a weapon."

"And by activating that map, you've given him a route to the Source," Rose pointed out.

"Unfortunately yes. We have to get out of here, find Martha and Donna and stop Cobb from slaughtering the Hath."

"I'm not against violence as you seem to be. I'll fight when there is need for it – its ingrained in me, but you're drawing up a strategy like a normal General would!" said Jenny.

"Because I'm trying to stop the fighting," stated the Doctor. "I'm not going to fight."

Jenny shook her head. "But isn't every soldier?"

"She's got you there," remarked Rose.

The Doctor went red. "Well, I suppose... But that is not what Cobb is doing! He can't kill all the Hath! It's wrong! You said it yourself!"

"But if we need to, would you condemn him?" asked Jenny.

_Very logical, _thought Rose. _She's asking the right questions._

"There is nothing right in exterminating the Hath," stated the Doctor. "No one has the right to destroy an entire civilisation. I would condemn him because there is never any need to do what he is planning." The Doctor was standing up, anger in his voice, and his eyes dark and angry. "I know what it is like to kill innocent people. I've done it myself, but do you know what? I have to live with that guilt everyday for the rest of my life. I didn't want to do it, I was forced into it and that is why I cannot accept you! You may have a part of my beliefs within you, but you a soldier first and foremost. You are not like me. Your programming," he spat, "will turn you into the weapon you are meant to be."

"Doctor," said Rose, patting his arm. "She's your daughter. She belongs with you."

"She's a soldier. She came out of that machine!" he returned, leaning back against the wall.

"Doctor, listen to her heart," pressed Rose.

"What good will that do?" hissed the Doctor, angrily.

"Please?"

The Doctor sighed in frustration and reached into his pocket, pulling out a stethoscope. Jenny looked at him curiously as he approached her. He bent down and placed it against the left side of her chest, listening to the beat of her heart in his ears. But then he noted the rhythm of a second heart and he moved the stethoscope to the right of her chest. A look of surprise flittered across his face. "Oh."

"And?" probed Rose, smiling a little.

"She has two hearts," he said quietly.

"Exactly," replied Rose. "She's just like you. A Time Lord, or is it Lady?"

Jenny was looking between them, confusion evident in her eyes. "What do you mean I have two hearts? And what is a Time Lord?"

The Doctor sighed, leaning back against the dirty wall of the cell. "It's what I am. But you are not a Time Lord, you are just an echo of what they once were!"

"You said you had killed," whispered Jenny, "why?"

The Doctor swallowed and he felt tears welling in his eyes as the horrible memories began to flash before him. Ever since the Master had forced him to relieve the Time War, he had been unable to block them out as well as he had been able to. He could remember seeing his mother for the last time. A strong, woman who had urged him to do what he had to do. She knew the price – it had been her resolve and dignity that had helped him make that difficult decision and end it. "There was a war..." he shook his head. "Not like this one... much worse."

"And you fought and killed?"

The Doctor caught her eyes, staring at her intently. "Yes."

"Then how are we different?" asked Jenny. "You fought for survival, but so are we."

* * *

The majority of the Hath had left the camp leaving only Donna alone with one of them. She was sitting on the floor, arms folded, legs crossed and glared at the Hath. Martha was hiding by the entrance, contemplating how she could get her friend out of there. So far the Hath had not harmed Donna, but she couldn't risk waiting for something to happen.

The Hath turned away from its prisoner and proceeded to play with the controls of the map, changing it into 3D. Donna watched and then got to her feet quietly. The Hath was taking no notice of her – she could make a run for it, even Martha could see that it was possible. The Hath had its back to the entrance. Taking her mobile phone out of her pocket, Donna raised it and took a photo of the 3D map as best she could before backing towards the entrance.

Martha watched, waiting. _Please, please don't turn around. _

Donna reached the entrance and crowded into the small alcove that Martha had been hiding in. "Thank god. I really thought I was going to have to hit the thing!"

"And it still hasn't noticed either..." said Martha. "Let's get out of here before it does. We need to find the Doctor and Rose." She pointed to her friend's phone that was still in her hand. "Did you get a good picture of the map?"

Donna flicked open her phone and inspected the image she had taken. "Yeah..."

"Good. We can use it then."

"But where can we go?" asked Donna. "We don't even know where we are, yet alone where the Doctor could be!"

Martha picked up her phone. "I can text Rose. See if they know anything... but I think it is best if we leave. I think the Hath has noticed you are gone."

Taking a risk, Donna crawled out of the space and peered into the camp, only to see the Hath looking around, searching for her. She pulled back her head fast. "Yeah... retreat is in order."

Staying close to the wall, but still keeping an eye on the entrance, Martha and Donna began to trek slowly towards the corner of the corridor. They were almost there when the Hath looked in their direction.

"Uh oh," gulped Martha, as the Hath sprinted after them.

"RUN!" yelled Donna, not caring if her voice reverberated around the corridor. Grabbing Martha's hand, she pulled her around the corner they had just reached before being discovered, not knowing where they were going, but hoping they were going in the right direction. They could hear the Hath in pursuit. Their only hope was that they would lose it in the winding, twisting tunnels that made up the compound.

* * *

"So," said Rose, arms crossed against her chest. "Exactly how we gonna get out of here?"

"I don't know," replied the Doctor, mournfully.

"Just leave it to me," said Jenny. She pointed towards a part of the cell that was hidden from observers. "Go over there."

Nor the Doctor or Rose offered any objections and stood to the side, in the darkened area, watching Jenny as she approached the bars of the cell. Cline, who had been ordered to guard them, turned to face her.

"I'm not supposed to talk to you. I'm on duty."

"I know," shrugged Jenny, her hands curled around the bars. "Guarding me. So does that mean I'm dangerous? Or that I need protecting?" She inched closer to Cline.

_She obviously gets that flirting attitude from her father, _mused Rose. She had seen on several occasions that the Time Lord had flirted, no matter how much he denied it. _Like father, like daughter._

"Protecting from what?" inquired Cline.

"Oh, I don't know," teased Jenny. "Men like you?" She grabbed hold of Cline through the bars, pushing his lips against hers and passionately kissing him. With her free hand she inched it down towards his belt and grabbed his gun, pointing it at his stomach. Cline pulled away, noticing the pressure against his abdomen. "Keep quiet and open the door."

Rose glanced at the Doctor. "Wow. She really is like you."

The Doctor threw her a disproval look. "She's not. I would never resort to that kind of tactic."

"Really? Even when there is no other option?"

The Doctor couldn't even answer that question.

* * *

They had found a printed copy of the new map that the Doctor had uncovered within the pockets of Cline's trousers. The soldier was tied up and gagged on the cell floor, glaring at them – especially at Jenny – for succeeding in fooling him.

"Never trust a lady who flirts," grinned Jenny as she walked past him.

"Wow," mused Rose. "She is ruthless."

"Just like me, on occasions," whispered the Doctor. "I've given her some of my worst traits."

"But also some of your best ones," replied Rose, patting him on the shoulder.

"So, father, where are we going?" grinned Jenny, standing in front of the Doctor, one hand on her right hip, the other holding the gun she had taken from Cline.

The Doctor inspected the map and pointed to the Temple which was situated above the layers of earth in between them. "Well, we have to go up, somewhere... the Temple is probably situated on the surface..."

"We can't go out there," said Jenny, "the atmosphere would kill us."

"Which is why there must be a way into the Temple from way down here, and according to this map there is a hidden tunnel!" he replied. "Come on, this way!"

* * *

Martha and Donna were breathless. They had been running for what seemed like ages when they turned another corner in the tunnels and hid themselves in a small crevice that was covered by loose wooden planks. Slowing their breathing, they waited.

No sounds at all drifted to their ears.

"Do you think we lost it – him – her - whatever?" asked Donna, shaking a little from the coldness of the tunnels.

Martha nodded. "I think so, unless they have really good senses... We had a head start... we might have been lucky."

Donna placed a hand on Martha's shoulder, while brushing her tangled red haired back. "So, what should do we do now?"

"What we were going to do," said Martha, reaching into her pocket and barely managing to retrieve her phone, "text Rose."

* * *

_Where are you? Found Donna. Need to find you. Have no directions save for a photo map of the tunnels._

* * *

Martha's phone beeped a few minutes later. "Can you find the Temple on your photo?"

Donna brought up the required image and passed the phone to Martha. "There's no writing on it or anything..."

"Best guess then is that it is this building here which is above the tunnels that we need to make for," scrutinised Martha, "but it is very unclear."

"Sorry, I couldn't get a better shot."

Martha shook her head. "Not your fault. You did your best with what resources you had available." She got to her feet and pulled herself out of the small crevice, holding out her hand and dragged Donna to her feet. "Right, I think we should go this way." She pointed in the direction they had come.

Before Martha could start walking away, Donna grabbed her upper arm and said: "Hey, what do you think they are?" She was pointing above them to where a string of numbers was embedded on a metal plague attached to the wall. "It's just random numbers... I saw one in the Hath encampment too..."

"You think it means something then?" asked Martha. "Can you remember what the other numbers were back there?"

Donna shook her head. "No, but I think they might be virtually the same. If we didn't have fish-boy chasing us I'd go back and check..."

"...but you don't think that is a wise idea?" finished Martha, slyly.

"Not at all."

"Just keep an eye out for anymore as we move on," suggested Martha. "Do you need pen and paper to keep track of them?"

"If you have any..."

Ever since joining UNIT, Martha had made sure to carry a pad and pen everywhere with her inside her jacket. Even when she was off work she made sure she did, just in case she ever needed to make a quick note of something that she might be likely to forget if it slipped her mind. "Here." She handed the pad and pen to the red-head. "Don't say anything about the sketches, alright?"

Donna raised her eyebrows but said nothing as she flicked through the pad and found a blank page.

Together, they started their journey onward, in the hope of finding the Doctor and Rose.

* * *

"So, what does a Time Lord actually do?" asked Jenny as they walked through the tunnels. "I have a purpose, what's yours?" They had found a locked door which the Doctor had opened with the Sonic Screwdriver, which, according to the map, should lead them to the Temple.

The Doctor looked at her incredulously. "'For'? They're not... They're not 'for' anything."

"But everyone has a purpose in life," continued Jenny. "I'm a soldier, born and bred as one. Surely Time Lords are too?"

Shaking his head, the Doctor let loose a bitter laugh. "No. We weren't created in the way you were by stolen genetic material. We weren't programmed for a specific purpose. We get to choose, have free will, can decide for ourselves. Me? I travel. Through time and space."

Rose burst out laughing, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. "Oh come on! That isn't even half of what you do!"

Questionably, Jenny looked at Rose, waiting for her to elaborate.

"He saves planets, rescues civilisations, defeats terrible monsters. And, if you're not fit, be prepared for a lot of running."

"That sounds fun!"

"It is..." continued Rose, "but there is always danger involved."

"Hey, it is not my fault if the TARDIS lands in dangerous places!" protested the Doctor.

"You're the pilot!" giggled Rose, nearly tripping over a protruding piece of rock embedded in the soil.

"What's a TARDIS?"

"It's my ship – what I travel around in to get wherever I want," said the Doctor, quietly. "Whether I get back to it again is another question entirely."

Rose laid a hand on the Time Lord's arm. "You will. I'm certain of it. Besides you've got to get Martha and I back home."

The Doctor glanced at her sharply. "You're not staying?"

"No, I'm sorry, but I have a life now, Doctor, one that I can't give up."

"Oh, right," he said sullenly.

"Besides," Rose brightened, "you have Donna and Jenny! She can travel with you, can't she, Doctor?"

He didn't answer.

* * *

They had been walking for no more than five minutes when they stumbled across a corridor filled with bright red laser beams, zig-zagging from side to side.

"Do you think they're destructive?" asked Rose, as she inched forward.

"Rose," warned the Doctor, "stay back."

Rose looked back at the alien and saw that he held in his hand a toy mouse. She raised her eyebrows in confusion but before she could say anything he had thrown it into the centre of the corridor. It hit one of the red laser beams and was torn to pieces. Rose gulped. "Yeah, I don't think we can go this way..."

"We have to... General Cobb is following us," said Jenny.

All three listened and they heard in the distance the unmistakable sound of running footsteps and the shouts of General Cobb urging them forward.

"They'll kill us if they catch us." The Doctor ran to a control pad situated on the wall, pulling out his Sonic Screwdriver as he did so. "I might be able to reset the system so that we can get through..." He poked his tongue out as he worked.

"Dad, I can hold them up," said Jenny, as she hoisted the gun, she had taken from Cline, onto her shoulder.

"No! We don't need any more people dead!"

"You said they'll kill us!" argued Jenny. "If someone doesn't stop them how are we going to get away?"

"Trust me," urged the Doctor, his voice frantic.

Jenny shook her head, her expression apologetic. "I'm sorry."

The Doctor glanced at Rose. "Not like me..."

"Jenny!" called Rose. "The Doctor taught me that everyone has choices. You don't have to do what you are programmed to do. Everyone has a choice..."

The Doctor's Daughter looked over her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

**To be continued... **

**Please let me know what you think! **

**Next update: tomorrow, and then the updates every two days will start. **

**the-writer1988**


	12. Ten: The Doctor's Daughter part three

**A/N) As promised, here is the final part to The Doctor's Daughter. The next update to this story will appear in two days time. :) **

**Enjoy!**

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**Chapter Ten: **The Doctor's Daughter _(part three)_

Jenny crouched on her knees, aiming her gun, waiting for the first soldier to appear around the corner, grim determination on her face. The first three soldiers rounded the corner and fanned out, having not spotted her yet. Next came General Cobb, walking towards her position with intent in his gaze; behind him followed the rest of the soldiers.

"Don't come any closer or I'll shoot!" she warned. She could hear her father in the distance shouting for her to get back, but she couldn't leave, not yet. She had a chance to end this fiasco.

General Cobb stopped, looking straight at her. "You're a child of the machine. You're on my side! Join us! Join us in the war against the Hath! It's in your blood, girl, don't deny it!"

Jenny swallowed, apprehension filled her stomach but she knew she couldn't fire. It felt wrong. It _was_ wrong. This whole war was wrong but killing the people participating in it wasn't the solution. Her father was right. She may have been programmed to be a soldier, but deep down she understood that was not what she really was. She stood up from where she kneeled, conscious that she was now exposed to the guns that were pointing at her.

"Come on!" urged Cobb, his pale blue eyes beseeching her.

Shaking her head, Jenny slipped the gun from her shoulder and threw it to the floor. Slapping her palm against a panel in the wall, she set loose smoke and steam from the pipes overheard, and ran for it. She heard Cobb's curses as she retreated but she felt alive, and knew that she had made the right choice. Rose had been right: everyone had a choice, even she.

She turned the corner back to the corridor where she had left the Doctor and Rose, skidding to a halt. The red barriers suddenly blazed back on, the Doctor having managed to temporarily, turn them off.

"Jenny! Use the Sonic!" yelled the Doctor. He was pointed to the pad on the wall, where lying on top of it, he had left his prized possession.

She rushed to it, picking it up in her small, nimble hands. "I don't know how to use it!"

"I've set it up for you! Press the button and point it at the controls!" he replied.

She did so, zapping them once more so that the lasers switched off once more. Keeping hold of the screwdriver she ran for it, through the clear space, making it to the other side just as the lasers switched back on. She laughed in relief, jumping into her father's arms. "I could have killed him, but I didn't! You were right," she smiled. "Everyone has a choice."

A sad smile came to the Doctor's face and he pulled her into a hug. "Come on." He grabbed her hand and ran out of the corridor, pulling her along behind him.

* * *

"Do you know where we are?" asked Donna, as Martha once more inspected the map on her friend's phone.

"Erm, not really, no. It's hard to read but I think we might be going in the right direction. Slipping through that hole in the wall the Hath made was probably a good judgement call. It's a shame we haven't caught up with them so we can just follow them."

Donna sighed. "I'm relieved actually. If they'd noticed us..."

"...we would have got out of it," finished Martha. "Rose and I have got out of worse scraps then this. We both know what to do if we're ever caught in that type of situation again." They had come to an intersection where one path led straight on, the other led slightly upwards. "Well, we know we have to go up..."

"...then that is what we'll do," said Donna. "It's only a little slope though..."

"I know," shrugged Martha, "but I think that's a good thing. Hey, there is another one of those number signs."

Donna wrote down the number, adding to the three she had already collected. "I see a pattern... it's a date...! But it's backwards! It has to be!"

"So...?"

"They must have placed the date when each section was completed, right, if they've been building? So, everything we've travelled through has been built in four days... but if we can find a date displaying today's date, then we can find out how long this war has gone on for!"

"No wonder the Doctor likes you," Martha grinned, "you are clever."

* * *

"Tell me, what's it like travelling?" asked Jenny, enthusiastically.

"I don't travel anymore... I did... my friend and I, Martha, kind of got dragged into this trip... but when I was with the Doctor, there was never a dull moment... there was always something going on, always someone to be saved. I've seen more worlds then anyone on my planet. It's utterly amazing out there," explained Rose, mournfully.

"Then, why'd you stop if it's as great as that?"

Rose looked down at her feet. "I changed... I was becoming less human... I had to live a normal life or lose myself forever. I promised myself that I would do that. I can't live this life anymore. I have to stay on Earth."

"Oh..."

"I made my choice, just as you made yours," whispered Rose. Then her face brightened up and she smiled a dazzling smile at Jenny. "So, Doctor, do you think Jenny will see new worlds?"

The Doctor let a small smile grace his face, but his eyes were sad. "I suppose so."

"You mean you will take me with you?" Jenny's eyes widened in astonishment.

"It wouldn't be fair to leave you here, would it?" replied the Doctor.

"Oh, thank you!" Jenny leapt at her father, pulling him into a hug. She let him go and ran ahead, excitement in her steps.

"Careful, there might be traps!" shouted the Doctor as she departed. He smiled warmly.

Rose put a hand on his shoulder, as they walked. "See, she is like you. She couldn't kill General Cobb... aren't you proud of her?"

"Yeah," he said quietly. "I've been a father before... you know that. I lost all of my family in the War – it's hard to look at her because she reminds me of my other daughter... she's so like her in many ways... stubborn, independent... always making up her mind, ignoring the advice of her peers..."

"Every child does that," grinned Rose.

"I know... but when they all died, they left a hole, all the pain that filled it... I just don't know if I can face that every day..." he swallowed, his face pale.

"She might help you get over that, as will Donna." Rose advised. "You're not alone, Doctor, you never will be. You'll always have someone with you."

The Doctor shook his head. "When they all died, that part of me died with them... It will never come back. Not now."

"It will." Rose urged, squeezing his shoulder.

"Promise?" He looked at her.

"Yeah, promise," smiled Rose, hoping that she was not making an empty one.

Behind them they heard the sounds of gun shots. Jenny came rushing back towards them, her blue eyes shining. "They must have blasted through the beams!"

"I guess it's time to run, again, yeah Doctor?" said Rose.

"Love the running!" said Jenny.

The Doctor's face came over full of affection. "Love the running, yeah."

Rose couldn't help but beam. The Doctor was slowly accepting his daughter. He needed someone like her in his life.

* * *

"Ok, so we've run to a dead end," said Rose. "We've got an army following us intent on killing us..."

"No, can't be," said the Doctor, as he inspected the map. "According to this we should be at a door... and at the entrance to the Temple, or one of them at least." He pulled out his sonic screwdriver which Jenny had returned to him. "Just bear with me..."

"They're coming! Cobb and the others!" yelled Jenny, who was standing further away from them.

"Then get back here!" shouted the Doctor. "I've nearly got this open!" He gritted his teeth as he worked, yelling in jubilation as the door slid open. "Ah-ha! Jenny, come on!"

Jenny ran back to the now open door. "They're coming! Close the door!" She ducked through just as General Cobb rounded the corner, the door shutting behind her. "That was close."

"So, this is the Temple, is it?" asked Rose as she stared dumbfounded at their surroundings. "It sure as heck doesn't look like one..."

They were standing inside what looked like a launch station. In front of them rose a great spaceship, steam bellowing around it, suggesting it was still active.

"Fusion-drive transport! It's a space-ship!" cried the Doctor.

"The original one?" asked Rose.

The Doctor tossed his head from side to side. "Well, it could be, but the power cells would have run down if the war had been lasting for centuries... This one is still powered-up and functioning! Come on!"

They began to run but as the Doctor turned a corner, he ran straight into someone. He bounded backwards, nearly hitting Jenny who had been coming up behind him, but he caught himself just in time. A wild grin spread across his face as he saw who he had collided with. "MARTHA!"

"DOCTOR! ROSE!" Martha squealed, pulling them both into hugs. She stepped back, her eyes shining in delight.

"Where's Donna?" asked Rose. "You said she was with you!"

"She is," Martha pointed over her shoulder, "she's back there... but Doctor, we've read the Ship's log! And Donna worked it out! This war has only been going on for seven days!"

"Seven...?"

"No..."

"It can't have!" exclaimed Jenny.

"Erm, whose this?" asked Martha, suddenly noticing the woman, dressed in tight leather trousers and a green t-shirt, standing before her.

"Oh, she's my daughter... they took some of my genetic material and grew a daughter for me," stated the Doctor. "Oh, and did I say? They didn't even ask!"

"Are you gonna sue them then, Doctor?" asked Donna as she rounded the corner, the pad still in her hand. "Did you tell him?"

Martha nodded. "Yeah. But I don't think they believe it."

"Ok, Donna, Martha, please explain what you know about this planet, about the people and the Hath on here," said the Doctor.

"Right," began Donna, "the people fighting are the first wave of a Human/Hath co-colonisation of planet Messaline, so that ship is the original one. They used robot drones to build the city, which is all the tunnels we've been walking through. The mission commander died and the humans and the Hath divided into fractions and turned on each other. They used some type of machine, a prog – a prog..."

"Progenation machine," supplied the Doctor. "What they used on me to get Jenny."

"Okay.... but anyway, both sides used these machines and started fighting, a never ending war. We beat the Hath here but they're coming."

Jenny swallowed. "And General Cobb, he's virtually outside."

"But how do you know this war has been going on for only seven days?" asked Rose.

"Simple," said Martha, "Donna was seeing these numbers everywhere, in certain sections, as we made our way here, and she recorded them and realised they were displaying the date, only backwards, like the Americans. Through there is a computer showing today's date and it's seven numbers up from the previous one she recorded."

"In total I've found five dates, but we passed two before I noticed them and got curious," continued Donna, "so if I'm right, which I think I am, then the first two plagues would show dates from six or seven days ago."

"What was the first number you saw?" inquired the Doctor.

"6012-07-15, but I saw one in the Hath compound, and that should have said 6012-07-17," explained Donna. "Today's date is 6012-07-24... seven days after the last constructions were finished."

"Seven days?" the Doctor was astonished. "Seven days this war has gone on for?"

"It can't have!" Jenny was shocked.

"One week," whispered Rose. "One week of war..."

"But they said years!" continued Jenny.

"No, they didn't," said the Doctor. "They said generations... and if every soldier is like you, products of those machines, then they could have twenty generations in a day. Each generation gets killed in the war and passes on the legend! Ohhh, that's it! Donna, you are brilliant!"

"But... but all the buildings, the encampments, they're in ruins!" replied Jenny.

The Doctor shook his head. "They're not ruined... just empty, waiting to be populated. With so many generations in a day, the whole war, the start of it has become a myth, one that has been distorted over and over... and the Source must be a part of that too! Come on!"

* * *

"Where are we going?" panted Rose as the Doctor sped around another corner, fully aware that General Cobb was rapidly gaining on them.

"Somewhere, inside this building is the Source. No time to explain, but it is here," said the Doctor.

He paused beside a locked door, took out his sonic screwdriver and set to work, while his companions tried every other door in range of their vision. With a click, the Doctor swiftly pushed the door open and stepped into a paradise.

"Woah!"

"What is this place?" gasped Jenny, her head turning from side to side to see the vibrant colours that she had never seen before, the plant life that stretched to the ceiling.

The Doctor was grinning broadly. "Oh, yes! Isn't this brilliant?" He ran through the vegetation, following a man-made path into a small clearing where, on a pedestal, sat a glass sphere, which contained shining green gas.

"Is that the Source?" asked Rose.

"It's beautiful." Jenny was entranced.

"What is it?" Martha screwed up her face as the intense smells of the combined plant life caused her to sneeze.

"Terraforming. It's a third generation terraforming device!" the Doctor replied, walking around it, an expression of wonder on his face.

"But why are we suddenly in the Botanical Gardens?" questioned Donna. "I mean, why not everywhere else?"

"Because that is what it does. All, only bigger. Much bigger! It's in a transit state... producing all this must help keep it stable before they finally release it to spread across the world."

Before anyone else could speak, they were surrounded as Hath and human soldiers appeared from opposite sides. As soon as they saw each other, weapons were drawn. The Doctor sprang in front of them, spreading his arms wide, telling them to stop, to not fight.

But Cobb was suspicious. "What is this? Some kind of trap?"

"You told me you wanted this war over," stated the Doctor.

"No! I want this war won!" spat General Cobb, glaring hatefully at the Doctor.

The Doctor was shaking his head sadly. "You can't win. No one can. You don't even know why you're here anymore. Your whole history, it's just Chinese whispers, getting more distorted the more it's passed on. Do you know how long you've been fighting for? No? It's not years... its seven days. SEVEN!" He pointed to the Source in the centre of the circle. "This is the Source, this is what you're fighting over. It's a device to rejuvenate a planet's ecosystem. It's nothing mystical. It's from a laboratory, not some creator. It's a bubble of gases, a cocktail of stuff for accelerated evolution. Methane, hydrogen, ammonia, amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids, everything its designers could think of, has been bundled inside it. It's used to make barren planets habitable. Look around you! It's not for killing, it's for bringing life. If you allow it, it can lift you out of these dark tunnels and into the bright, bright sunlight! No more fighting. No more killing." Gently, he lifted the sphere from its pedestal. "No more fighting, Cobb, this war is over!"

He threw the orb to the ground, smashing it to pieces, but the glowing green gas seeped into the air, shining in gold as it spread out into the air. Every human and Hath watched, and slowly, instigated by Cline (who had obviously been released from the cell the Doctor had left him in), laid their weapons on the floor.

Jenny walked towards her father, a smile on her face, her eyes shining brightly at the beauty around her. "What's happening?"

"The gases will escape and trigger the terraforming process."

"What does that mean?"

"A new world?" smiled the Doctor, pulling Jenny into a warm hug.

She laughed, watching the colours move throughout the air, but then she noticed movement in the corner of her eye. She saw General Cobb lift his gun – the only one who had not laid it on the ground – and point it at the Doctor's head. Fear ran through her and before she knew what she was doing, she pushed her father away from her.

_BANG!_

A terrible pain came to her as something rammed into her chest. She gasped and felt instantly weak. The bullet meant for the Doctor had hit her instead. Her legs buckled beneath her and she fell, but the Doctor's strong arms caught her.

"Jenny? Jenny? Talk to me, Jenny!"

With effort she looked at him as he laid her down in his lap. She felt someone's fingers on her neck, but she was rapidly losing the ability to feel and her breathing was getting that much harder. She blinked back tears, trying not to show him how afraid she was. How scared she was that she was going to die. "A new world... it's beautiful."

"Jenny? Be strong, now. You need to hold on. Do you hear me? I should have seen it before... you are so like me... saving people even when it puts yours in danger." She could see tears in her father's eyes, and he was struggling to speak. "I was going to take you anywhere and everywhere... all the places you wanted to go... places you never thought existed... We can still do that if you fight."

But Jenny knew she was going to die. The bullet had nicked one of her hearts. She had internal bleeding. Even now her vision was blurring. She blinked, struggling to hold back death for only a little longer. "That – sounds – good."

The Doctor lowered his head to hers, to whisper in her ear. "You're my daughter and we've only just started. You're going to be great. You're going to be more then great, you're going to be amazing! Your hear me? Jenny?"

But she was already gone.

* * *

Rose slowly approached the Doctor. "She's like you... got two hearts... maybe if we wait, she will...?"

The Doctor was nodding frantically, tears leaking out of his eyes. "I can't lose another one! I just can't! Please, please... regenerate."

But nothing was happening. The Time Lord glanced to Martha.

"I'm sorry."

He gently laid Jenny's body on the floor, staring at it for a few minutes before looking directly at General Cobb. As soon as Jenny had been hit, the other soldiers had grabbed hold of him, and made him kneel on the floor. The Doctor got to his feet and picked up the gun that Cobb had shot Jenny with. He stood there, panting from anger and despair, placing the gun at the side of Cobb's head.

"Doctor..." whimpered Rose, stepping forward. "Don't..." She trailed off, already knowing that he had to come to the decision himself. It was all down to choice. Like the one she had made, standing in front of the Master, intent on shooting him. But the Doctor wasn't a child that needed to be taught, like she had been... he was fully capable of making his own choices...

His finger was slipping on the gun, chest panting. Anger coursed through him. The human deserved it. He had killed his daughter... a woman who could have helped him... The Doctor was damaged, everything that he had been through was yelling at him to take his anger out on Cobb. He had lost too much and gained so little.

But he didn't have the heart to kill.

Shifting the gun, only slightly, he fired, the bullet hitting Cobb right in his left foot. The General let out a cry of pain as the bullet tore into his foots ligaments. The Doctor knelt down beside the wounded man.

"I would never kill someone like you did," the Doctor snarled. "I came this close to killing you." He stood up, looking at his companions and Rose's horrified face. He knew he had disappointed her, but he was beyond caring. He had been damaged too much mentally and physically in the last few years of his life. He was fed up of losing everything and everyone. In his mind, by that single gun-shot, he had given Jenny's death justice. "I want you all to know," he started, "that when you start this new world, of human and Hath, that there was a man who never would kill someone in cold blood! REMEMBER THAT!"

He threw the gun to the side, away from Cobb's reach, and sat back down, legs crossed, beside his daughter's body.

Guilt weighed heavily upon him.

* * *

They had taken Jenny's body to the upper levels of the Temple, where it would be laid in state, in memory of the sacrifice she had made to restore peace to her world. The Doctor hadn't stayed long, only enough to make sure the terraforming on the planet's surface had been happening correctly. Already the soil around the structures that had been built was already melting away so that light and fresh air could circulate into the camps and tunnels.

The Doctor leaned back against the TARDIS console, hands thrust into his pockets, his mind focused on what he had done. He had shot someone. Not killed, but injured.

Rose approached him, her face sad. "Why were we brought here?"

"Jenny was the reason for the TARDIS bringing us here. It just got here too soon, which then created Jenny in the first place. Paradox, an endless paradox." He looked at Rose, his eyes devoid of emotion. "Time to go home?"

"I think so," nodded Rose.

* * *

They walked down the street of where Martha now lived. Rose, Martha and Donna had left the TARDIS as soon as it had landed.

"Donna, please promise me you'll look after him," said Rose, nodding towards the Doctor, who had just walked out of the TARDIS.

"I will, and that's what I'm doing," replied the red-head. "He's more damaged then ever isn't he?"

Rose nodded sadly. "I wish I could stay, but I can't. We've both changed. He needs you Donna, not me and not Martha. I did my part with him before everything, but the Master and my own individual choices have harmed him more than ever. I can't risk going back and doing more damage than I've already done."

"It's not your fault," said Martha, quietly. "We can't help what the Doctor went through – the important thing is, is that he survived it. He'll heal, in time."

"But when?" asked Rose. "When he regenerates?"

"Regenerates?" Donna was confused.

Martha shook her head, giggling lightly. "It's nothing. You shouldn't have to worry about it."

"Oh, ok..." Donna trailed off, slightly suspicious of what Rose and Martha had said.

Rose nodded over Donna's shoulder. "He's coming." She pulled Donna into a hug and then stepped away so that Martha could exchange goodbyes.

The Doctor slowly approached them on the suburban street, all the houses semi-detached. His hands were thrust into his pockets and the hot sun beat down above them, warming their bodies. "I guess this is good-bye then."

"Until next time," said Rose. She pulled him into a hug and gently kissed him on the cheek. "Look after yourself."

He smiled sadly at her. "You too."

"Doctor? Show Donna the highlights of the universe," suggested Martha, "just like you showed me."

He scratched the back of his head. "Sure." He was quite, reserved, as if he was regretting his actions on Messaline.

Standing there, looking into his dark orbs, Rose could see regret and sadness at what he had done. Whenever she thought he had been making progress in fixing himself, there had always been something to tear him back down to the broken shell the Master had made him into.

After Martha had hugged the Doctor, Rose and Martha watched the Doctor and Donna walk back to the TARDIS.

"Do you think he'll be alright?" asked Martha.

Rose pursued her lips. "He's broken, Martha, so broken by everything. I don't think he's ever going to recover. But we can't help him. It's up to him. I just hope regeneration is not the answer to his problems."

As the TARDIS disappeared, Rose couldn't help but feel responsible for what had happened to the Doctor. It was her fault. Maybe if she had stayed with her mother in the parallel universe, none of this would have happened?

Choices have consequences, and now Rose Tyler was beginning to see what effects her one simple choice had, had on the Doctor, the man she loved.

Holding her shoulders high, Rose reached towards the front door, opened it and stepped inside, ready to face the future, ready for what was to come. But one thought strayed heavily on her mind.

And that was of the Doctor.

**To be continued...**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**More in two days time... **

**the-writer1988**


	13. Eleven: A Helping Hand

**A/N) I got dragged into watching the UK Election debate yesterday and I completely forgot to update. My bad! So here it is. So I will update again tomorrow to make up for my lack of memory :) **

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**Chapter Eleven: **A Helping Hand

"Do you want bacon and eggs for breakfast?" asked Martha as she pattered around the kitchen, grabbing a pan and settling it on the cooker.

Rose, sitting at the kitchen table, shook her head, leaning back in her chair. "No. I'm not hungry."

"You can't go on like this," said Martha, abandoning her task and sitting beside her friend. "You need to eat. Worry all you want over the Doctor, but please don't starve yourself."

Rose sighed, brushing a hand through her tangled hair. She was still in her pyjama's and dressing gown, but then it was the weekend and neither of them were required for duty, unless something major came along. "He shot someone," she stated.

"But he didn't kill him," pointed out Martha, serenely.

"He could have done!"

"Yes he chose not to," repeated Martha. She grabbed for Rose's hand. "Listen to me – the Doctor is strong, I know he is. The Master tormented him for over two years. No one can heal from that, that easily. You know my parents still suffer."

"Not as badly as the Doctor does," said Rose bitterly, hanging her head in shame.

"Their minds were not ripped to shreds – nor did the Master have a personal vendetta against them," she squeezed Rose's hand, forcing her friend to look at her. "Listen to me, the Doctor has Donna. If anyone can bring him back, then she can, even if it takes years. Have faith."

Rose nodded. "Okay. It's hard you know."

"I understand that," smiled Martha. "I'm here for you." She got up and headed back to the cooker. "Now, what do you want? Bacon and eggs?"

"You don't give up do you?" asked Rose, watching as Martha peeled back the packaging of the bacon and pulled out four rashers and placing them in the saucepan.

"Nope!" grinned Martha. "So, what will it be then?"

"Bacon and eggs," relented Rose.

"Good. What about mushrooms? Baked beans?"

Rose shook her head, giggling. Martha was really an infectious person to be around. So happy and charming, no wonder Tom Milligan wanted to marry her.

* * *

Rose threw herself into her studies, trying to forget her anxiety. For the most part, it worked. She became so involved that she completely forgot to worry. Martha also did her bit of preoccupying her by asking for her help with wedding plans. Tom and Martha had preliminary set a date for the following year. Tom was currently still in Africa. Although he had only been sent out there for three weeks, his time out there had been extended to three months, so, over the phone, he and his fiancée had set a date for the wedding, deciding that next year would be best, preferably at the start. Martha piled Rose with magazines, books, catalogues, everything about weddings that she could find. There were so many things to choose from that even Rose found it hard picking out a few select things for Martha to view and choose.

As the weeks passed, they gradually began to involve Jack in the proceedings who kept suggesting inappropriate things whenever Rose showed him the decisions Martha had made about her wedding. In the end, she had to forbid him to even talk about the wedding, in case he tried to influence it.

It was late one night that Rose received a phone call from Donna Noble.

"Rose?" asked Donna, her voice scared.

Rose immediately knew that something was wrong. "What's happened?"

Donna hesitated, as if she was deciding whether phoning Rose had been a good idea after all. "It's the Doctor...I need your help... I really don't know what to do with him." She sounded scared. "He's going mad..."

"What do you mean?" asked Rose urgently. "Donna, you have to tell me what has happened."

"Humans," she stated bluntly. "On a planet called Midnight. They tried to kill the Doctor. He was powerless to do anything. I wasn't there... oh god... I chose not to go with him and now he's even worse than before. He won't tell me what really happened...All I know is that he has been hurt again. I've seen him, Rose, looking at it... looking at Aspirin. I know that can kill him. I think he's suicidal. I don't know what to do."

"Donna, take deep breaths and remain calm. I want to talk to the Doctor," ordered Rose, firmly. "Maybe I can help."

"Yeah... maybe..." whispered Donna. "Hold on..."

As Donna went looking for the Doctor, Rose could hear the faint sounds of her friend's breathing and her feet pounding on the metal grating as she sought the Doctor in the hidden realms of the TARDIS. The sound of her door creaking distracted her and Rose looked up to see Martha walking into the room, a quizzical expression on her face. Rose waved her over and her friend perched herself on the end of her bed. "It's Donna. Something has happened to the Doctor."

"I thought so," said Martha. "I heard you talking to someone... I heard you mention his name so I thought I'd check..."

"Rose?" Donna was back.

"Donna?"

"I've found him... but he won't talk to you," she said.

"Do you have speaker?"

"Yeah...."

"Put it on." She waited until Donna confirmed that she had put her phone onto speaker. Glancing at Martha, Rose raised her voice and shouted down the phone line, hoping that the Doctor would not block her out. "DOCTOR! IF YOU DON'T TALK TO ME, THEN THE NEXT TIME THE TARDIS IS ANYWHERE NEAR EARTH I WILL ORDER UNIT TO SHOOT IT DOWN, DO YOU HEAR ME?" It was a threat that Rose hoped she would never have to go through.

"Did you have to be so loud?" asked the Doctor.

"Yes," replied Rose, stubbornly. "Now, tell me, why were you looking at Aspirin?"

The Doctor was silent for a few moments. "I wasn't gonna do it..."

Over the phone Rose heard Donna's voice shout at him and, judging by the Doctor's 'ow', she had hit him for scaring her. "Doctor, you can't go on like this. You have to be strong... I know that the Master broke you – and I'm sorry for that, I really am – but you are not helping yourself. I left you for a reason 'cos I had changed too much... but now you have changed... you are not the Doctor that I fell in love with... Please don't sink further into the oblivion that you are being pulled into... I helped fix you after the Time War... but I can't be there for you now... it's up to you. If you can't do it for Donna, then do it for me, please?"

Silence, save for the Doctor's breathing.

"Doctor?" she pressed. "Please promise me you'll try to get through this and anything else that happens in the future. You told me we don't live forever... you won't always have me to help you... its time you got used to that fact, so please, promise me that you'll try to help yourself."

"Alright..." he breathed, "I promise."

"Thank you. Can I speak to Donna, please?"

"Sure."

Next moment, the ginger-haired companion of the Doctor's, voice came over the phone. "Thank you for doing that."

"Anytime," promised Rose. "I know I can help him... but he has to sort out everything in his head on his own... we're not always going to be there for him. One of these days we'll die and he'll be alone. The only thing we can do is nudge him in the right direction... You've done great, Donna."

"Really?" Donna's tone was incredulous, as if she really didn't believe she had any worth to the Doctor.

"Yes, really," said Rose. "Just remember, call me, if you need us again. Both Martha and I are here."

"I know," replied Donna. "And thanks."

Rose disconnected the phone call and sat back in bed. "Well, hopefully, another crisis averted."

"We can hope," added Martha. "We just can't plan what is going to happen in the future. Any one of us could die tomorrow."

"I know," whispered Rose, "I just hope it is not the Doctor."

"He won't." Martha rubbed her friend's shoulders. "He'll get through this. I know he will. If he doesn't, we'll just have to order UNIT to shoot him down, won't we?"

Rose couldn't help but laugh.

**To be continued...**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**Up next: Interlude II - The Doctor and Donna Noble**

**the-writer1988**


	14. Interlude Two: The Doctor and Donna

**A/n) I really don't know what happened, but I completely forgot to update. Really. So because of that, you have two chapters today! **

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**Interlude 2: **The Doctor and Donna Noble

"I never really told you the full extent of what happened to me, did I?" said the Doctor, as he sat down in front of Donna in the TARDIS' extensive library.

Donna looked up from the gossip magazine she was reading and placed it on her lap. "You mean on Midnight?" He nodded in confirmation. "You didn't. I just got bits and pieces from that woman, Dee."

"Well, she was one of the nicer ones," he commented, his voice solemn. "She didn't condemn me being thrown out of that....bus." He sat down in a comfy armchair opposite Donna and looked at her in the eyes.

She reached forward and took his hand in her own. "I'm here for you. I always will be."

He sighed and looked down between his feet, as if he was wishing that he didn't have to be there, but already knowing the futility of it all. He had to tell her. Donna deserved to know the full truth. He had scared her after all, just by simply looking at a packet of aspirin. It didn't help that it had the cross and bones skull on it with the words 'Time Lord' underneath. It wasn't that hard for an intelligent human to work out what it meant for his species.

"Everything was going fine... apart from the noise of the ridiculous entertainment system. Used my sonic in the end to disrupt it. Decided to start chatting to the other passengers. I didn't really say much, you know how I love to listen now, rather than open my gob."

"That is true," mused Donna.

"Then something happened. The bus just lost power and then there was this knocking from the outside... but I know nothing can exist on the surface of Midnight. One of the passengers, Sky, got terrified but whatever it was, was drawn to her and somehow, it managed to get inside the bus... Everything started to shake and the lights went out, we were thrown all over the place. The rest of us found Sky, but she wasn't the same. She seemed to have no concept of who she was – like she was dead inside, replaced by a new being. I was curious and started talking to it... it copied everything I said, but it wasn't just me, it was the rest of the people to."

He fell silent, shivering in the warmth of the library.

"But it learnt," he continued. "I, somehow, managed to get on the bad side of the majority of the passengers, and the entity knew that. It singled me out and just continued to copy my words until..."

Donna rubbed his shoulder as she saw him visibly swallow. He was scared. Scared of whatever had occurred, happening again. "You can do this, Doctor, I know you can."

"... it managed to control my whole body. I couldn't speak unless it spoke, so I became the copier. All I had was my thoughts, but I didn't see a way out of my situation. It had stolen my words and was slowly assimilating my personality. The passengers were freaking out, convinced that the creature had passed into me and that they would be next. They saw that the only way to get rid of it was to..."

"Throw you out?" guessed Donna.

"Yes. The air is poisonous. I would have been killed instantly, no chance of a regeneration. Only Dee and the Hostess – I never even knew her name – were against it. I was scared; I could see my death coming for me, that I was to die right there. They dragged me towards the door. I couldn't move a muscle, save for my eyes. I kept repeating what the creature was saying through Sky..."

"And then?" pressed Donna, knowing that he had to finish this story for her.

"And then it said something that I'd said to the Hostess earlier and she realised what had really happened to me. That the creature wasn't in me, but that it was still in Sky, and that it was controlling me. She knew no one would listen to her so she killed herself, ejecting her and Sky into the atmosphere of Midnight. I was released, but I was so close to death, Donna. It terrified me." He shivered uncontrollably. "How could anyone do that to another person? Be so convinced that they have the right to kill someone because it might save them?"

"Because, humans get scared. They don't think logically in times like that," said Donna carefully. "They think they have the right. Don't be scared at what happened, be glad that someone realised. Doctor, life is hard, you know that, but you can't go through life thinking everything is going to be fine. I know you've suffered so much, but you need to put it behind you. Do you think you can do that?"

The Doctor looked at her in the eyes, his expression sad and forlorn. "I can try."

"Good. Rose would kill me if she knew you were still tearing yourself up over this."

"And I wouldn't want that, would I?" grinned the Doctor.

"OI!" Donna punched him playfully on the arm.

**To be continued... **

**Please let me know what you think! **

**The Stolen Earth part one should be available to read too... **


	15. Twelve: The Stolen Earth part one

**A/N) Hey, at least I remembered to add this chapter! LOL!**

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**Chapter Twelve: **The Stolen Earth _(part one) _

"I'm gettin' waves of electrical energy bouncing across the atmosphere, here! It's like they do great big jumps and then settle down again and then," Malcolm threw his arms up in the air, "whoosh! They go big again!"

Rose glanced up from her work station where she was busy writing up an essay she had been set to write, but hadn't had much time to do, what with planning Martha's wedding. Currently, Martha was in New York, liaising with her via the phone when she could. Rose didn't know exactly why she had been sent out there as it was of top priority, and Martha never let on, but she did know she had been promoted to Medical Director of some secret project. She didn't mind not knowing the full details. It gave her a chance to concentrate fully on her degree course without having Martha to worry about.

"Oh! And there it does it again!" said Malcolm, jumping up and down in excitement.

"What's up?" asked Rose, walking towards the computer readings that her mentor was getting thrilled over. They spiked once more in quick succession. "Does the Colonel know?"

"'Of course not!" said Malcolm. "Why should 'e know 'bout this?"

Rose raised her eyebrows considering whether Malcolm was being serious or if he was joshing with her. "He is our commanding officer after all," she pointed out.

His mouth fell open. "Of course 'e is!" he slapped his forehead. "Well, you'd better go and tell 'im then, hadn't you?"

"Yeah, sure," replied Rose. She liked Malcolm a lot but he never saw the bigger picture. He was far more interested in science and the world out there than anything that happened in everyday life. Forgetting to report to his commanding officers was something of a usual thing for him, and Rose had found herself constantly reminding him to do so. Each time she hoped that he would remember, but he never did. But you couldn't help but love Malcolm, no matter how dippy he may be.

She found Colonel Mace in the control centre of the UNIT base, going over a report with Captain Price that had been sent through by Martha a few hours before. Rose hated being out of the loop but sometimes secrecy was important, and whatever Martha was doing over in New York, had to be kept to the top few in UNIT's ranks.

"Colonel, sorry to disturb you but we've been recording spikes of energy in the atmosphere in and around Earth. It's very unusual and we thought you should know," said Rose, once the Colonel had turned his attention to her.

He rubbed his chin. "Do you think this could be something to do with alien intervention?"

She shrugged. "I dunno... it is too early to say but the readings jus' keep jumping all the time, up and down. I think... maybe..." she hesitated, wondering if it would be wise to put her idea forth, "that... calling the Doctor might be a good idea... if it is nothing, at least we'll have his expert opinion."

"And if there is something sinister about the readings then at least he is here to do something about it," finished Colonel Mace. He nodded enthusiastically. "All right then. Call him in."

* * *

"I just can't believe he is coming!"

Malcolm was excited. More so then Rose had ever seen him.

"You know, if you carry on like this, I might lock you out of the lab," hinted Rose, teasingly.

"NO! You can't!" Malcolm was horrified by that prospect. "The Doctor is simply amazing! I just can't believe he is coming here just to look at these results!"

"I know, you've said," replied Rose. She hadn't even told Martha that the Doctor was coming. Over in New York it was the middle of the night and she was assuming her friend was asleep and not staying up late again to work on whatever project she had been sent over there for. She sat on the edge of the table in the lab, waiting for the distinct sounds of the TARDIS materialising to begin. She realised as soon as it became apparent that he was arriving, Malcolm would become even more excitable then he already was. Even as she thought what her co-workers reaction was likely to be at the Time Lord's appearance, a slight breeze swept her hair behind her ears and she turned her head to the right as a flashing light appeared in the middle of the room; the sounds of the alien ship creaking into existence as the TARDIS arrived in the lab. She grabbed hold of Malcolm's arm to make sure he didn't run in front of the ship; so that he wouldn't alarm the Doctor when he emerged.

"Calm down, Malcolm," she whispered in her colleague's ear.

"But... but it's the Doctor!" he protested.

"I know," she replied. "I will tell him not to come out if you continue to be like this. We can't be distracted. Whatever is happening with the spikes needs to be sorted over anything else, and that 'else' includes you getting excited over the Doctor being here to help."

Malcolm cringed. Despite being her boss, Rose did have power over Malcolm in this respect. She could just as easily order the Doctor to go away and Malcolm knew that. She didn't want the Doctor distracted by Malcolm jumping all over him.

She looked up as the doors to the TARDIS opened and Donna stepped out, her red hair falling over her shoulders. She wore a brown jacket, with jeans, and a grey top that was belted around the middle. She looked flushed, and slightly worried. The Doctor followed behind her, his hands trust into the pockets of his long coat.

"Right," he began, "you have spikes, yes?"

Rose nodded. "Over there on the computer. They keep jumping up and down. It's not normal."

The Doctor walked over to the monitor, putting on his glasses as he did so. He leaned down and put his hands on the table to steady himself, then he watched as the graph on the screen spiked twice in quick succession. He frowned as he watched the screen, tapping the keyboard to bring up all the data they had recorded.

Rose noticed that Malcolm was staring at the Doctor, open-mouthed. Donna had seen and was looking at the scientist with concern. "Don't mind him, Donna. He's jus' a little excited that the Doctor is here."

"Ah. Admirer?"

Rose nodded. "Yeah."

"Thought so..." Donna drifted off, trailing her eyes around the room. The silence, save for the Doctor's fingers tapping the keyboard, was mind-numbingly dull. "So... how are you? And Martha?"

"So, so," said Rose. "And Martha's in New York. I don't know what she is doing out there but it is something top secret. That's all I know." She caught Donna's eye. "How have things been since...?" She was referring to when they had last heard from them, which had only been three months ago.

Donna shrugged, her eyes losing the light in them. "He's okay... still suffering." She walked forward and pulled Rose into a hug, whispering in her ear as they came close. "Nightmares... flashbacks... But he's getting there. Slowly."

"Ok," said Rose. Donna's words didn't stop her worrying about the Time Lord, only seemed to increase her fear for him.

"AH HA!" The Doctor jumped, bounding up and down, twirling on his toes to face his companion. "Particles are being charged in the atmosphere! Electrical energy to make something very big happen!"

"How big?" asked Donna.

The Doctor's eyes caught hers. "Very big."

"Oh." Donna's eyes widened. "Bad?"

"Yes."

"Very bad?" she clarified.

He nodded. "Very, very bad."

"So, what are we gonna do about it?" asked Rose, stepping forward.

"Well, we're going to let the Doctor solve it, aren't we? And we're gonna help him!" Malcolm enthusiastically suggested.

"Erm, actually, you're not," said the Doctor, looking up and catching Malcolm's eye. "You see, this is beyond human technology. Something is wrong, but only I can work it out with the TARDIS. There is a faint link reaching out into the depths of space. If I can latch onto it, I can find out where all this electrical energy is coming from and hopefully put a stop to it before anything untoward happens."

"And you don't need our help at all?" added Rose, crossing her arms.

"No," he replied. "Well, maybe later, but not right now." He ran to the TARDIS, throwing the doors open with a burst of energy. "Donna, stay here. I'm not going anywhere."

They watched as he slammed the TARDIS door shut.

"He is amazing!" exclaimed Malcolm, clapping his hands in jubilation. "What do you think he's doing in there?"

Rose and Donna traded glances. "Saving the world, I'd presume," said Rose. But then suddenly, what felt like an earthquake struck and she fell into Donna, knocking her to the floor. The world shook all around them. The equipment that was not safely locked down fell to the floor, some smashing upon impact. Malcolm hit the cupboard head first, scrabbling to hold onto something to stop him stumbling again as he tried to pull himself to his feet. His long lab-coat caught in his legs and he fell. Rose grabbed hold of the table leg, scrambling underneath it, even as the computer fell off, the screen shattering. Donna rolled to the side, avoiding the shards of glass that came her way.

"WAIT!"

Rose heard Donna yelling and turned her head as she saw the TARDIS suddenly disappear from the room, but it hadn't dematerialised... whatever was happening to them it was clear that the TARDIS was being left behind...

The shaking stopped and Rose lay under the table, breathing slowly, heart hammering in her chest as she waited for any aftershocks. "It was like an earthquake or summat... but it can't have been..."

"Whatever it was, it has taken the TARDIS," said Donna, annoyance clear in her tone.

"Or took us," pointed out Rose, "and left the TARDIS behind."

"So...the Doctor isn't with is anymore?"

"No Malcolm, he isn't," said Rose, exasperated. "We're on our own with the rest of the world."

"Surely he can track us? Right?" asked Donna, her face twisted in concern.

Rose shrugged, pulling her hair behind her ears. "No idea... If the TARDIS was left behind then whatever or whoever has done this knew to block the TARDIS."

"So, what has happened?" questioned Malcolm. "The only thing that has changed is that the Doctor is no longer here!"

"Maybe we should check outside..." suggested Rose, crossing the room and pulling open the door to the office they had been working in. Soldiers were running down the corridor, yelling instructions to one another as they ran, some even talking over their microphones to Colonel Mace. Rose took Donna's hand and made a beeline for the open door at the end of the corridor which should have led out into the morning sunshine...but it didn't.

"It's dark..." said Rose, astonished. "It was eight o clock in the morning!" She looked up at the sky and gasped. "Oh my god." She fumbled for Donna's hand and grabbed it, clutching it tightly.

High above them, various sizes of planets littered across the sky; some so close to the atmosphere that if they had been closer, they would have been pulled into a collision course, but Rose knew better. Someone had planned this... she didn't know why she thought that, but she had the overwhelming feeling that something big was at work, and they were just all pawns in a game that could destroy the universe.

"Rose," whispered Donna. "What do we do?"

Rose was already pulling out her mobile phone, dialling the number that would connect her to the Doctor, but nothing happened. It refused to connect. "Oh." It only strengthened her resolve that this was an elaborate scheme, concocted well enough so that the Doctor would not be able to help the planet. "We're on our own, Donna." Rose turned helplessly towards the ginger-haired woman. "I can't get through."

* * *

"Twenty-six planets have appeared in the sky," surmised Colonel Mace. They had gathered in his office with Captain Price along with a few other higher-ups in UNIT's hierarchy. Rose and Malcolm (and Donna by extension of her association with the Doctor) had all been invited to attend. "Earth being the twenty-seventh." He turned towards Rose. "Miss Tyler, where's the Doctor?"

"Gone," she said solemnly. "The Earth was pulled across space, but the TARDIS was left behind. The Doctor was inside his ship at the time..."

"How can you be so sure that the planets were not brought to us?" asked Captain Price.

"Because!" began Malcolm, enthusiastically, "our solar system's Sun is no longer visible. Even all those planets up there wouldn't block it out! We'd still be getting some light but nowhere in the world is! Hence, we've moved!"

Colonel Mace nodded, accepting the explanation. "Seems reasonable. Will the Doctor be able to get back to us?"

"I dunno... I can't get through to him on the phone. Whoever has done this is preventing me from reaching him. He's on his own, as are we," said Rose.

Mace folded his arms, leaning back in his chair. "Then we've got to hope that he can make it back to us." He looked Rose directly in the eye. "Do you think we have something to worry about with the planets in the sky?"

Rose was silent, mulling it over in her head. This had been planned; the readings that she and Malcolm had picked up only confirmed that suspicion. "Yes. They'll show themselves soon. We've just got to wait."

* * *

Donna had phoned home, informing her grandfather that she was safe and well and on Earth. She didn't tell him they had lost the Doctor as she didn't want to worry him further. Rose had heard from Martha and apart from a bruise to the forehead from falling over, she was fine. They had established that someone had ensured that the Earth had an artificial atmospheric shell that was keeping the air and holding in the heat. Without the Sun, they shouldn't even have air. Quite frankly, the human race should have been suffocated. Rose wasn't sure whether it bode well for them that they could still breathe or if something more sinister was at work.

They were looking at a visual representation of the planets that Malcolm had drawn up and the surrounding space was being monitored by the various telescopes around the Earth, all of which had been focused towards the centre of the formation of planets. They reasoned that whoever was behind this would likely hide there. So far nothing had been reported, but it was likely with all of the planet's spinning in orbits, if there was something there, it was being hidden by their mass.

_Beep. Beep. Beep. _

"We've got something!" shouted Rose. "There's something there! Right in the centre!" A bright red light was now flashing in the centre of the formation. "It's not a planet... it is too small to be one."

"Space station! Aliens! Real aliens!" concluded Malcolm, jumping in excitement. "Oh, this is brilliant!"

"We don't know what they want yet," reasoned Rose. "They could mean us harm, whoever they are."

"Erm..." Malcolm looked up at his colleague. "We might be finding out sooner than we thought. Roughly two hundred objects have disengaged from the station and are heading towards us!"

"How long till they get here?" demanded Rose. "A rough time estimate, please?"

"Any minute now!"

Rose swallowed, rushing out the room.

"Where are you going? You'll miss all the excitin' action!"

"To get Colonel Mace, he should be here for this!" she yelled over her shoulder.

* * *

By the time Rose arrived back in the lab she shared with Malcolm with the Colonel and Captain Price, the saucers were in orbit over Earth, breaking through the atmosphere. Malcolm was hurriedly pacing around the lab, flipping switches and adjusting the speakers to the second computer that had not been smashed when the Earth had been moved. She was about to ask what he was up to when he answered the budding question that was on the tip of her tongue, for her.

"There's a communication coming through! For us! The aliens want to speak to us!" He sounded thrilled about that prospect.

Rose gritted her teeth, exchanging a glance with Colonel Mace and the Captain.

"Hold on a minute!" Malcolm adjusted two wires that led into the speakers from the computer, clicked the mouse and then turned the volume up. A loud, grating, metallic voice filled the room and Rose stilled, her heart hammering in her chest.

"EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"

"No..." she whispered. "It can't be..."

"Oh..." Malcolm had gone completely pale, his eyes wide.

"Daleks," said Rose, her voice hard.

"EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"

"This is bad, isn't it?" asked Malcolm.

"Who are they?"

Rose whirled and saw Donna standing up from the chair she had sat in, in the corner of the room. She had completely forgotten that she was there, so caught up in her haste. Rose swallowed, finding it difficult to remove the lump in her throat. "Daleks. The worst creatures in the universe. Without the Doctor, we're doomed. All they want is to kill every living thing and be the ultimate beings. And we've got an army heading our way."

Colonel Mace stepped forward, switching off the speakers so that they didn't need to hear the declaration of 'exterminate' anymore. "Geneva will declare a Code Red. We will be at war as soon as they confirm."

Rose locked her gaze with the Colonel. "We're not going to survive this."

"Maybe not, but at least we can try," he replied as he marched out the room; Captain Price following behind.

"Rose? What are we going to do?"

Rose shook her head, feeling hopeless. "I don't know... I really don't know."

**To be continued... **

**Please let me know what you think! **

**Part two should be updated tomorrow. :) If I remember :s**


	16. Thirteen: The Stolen Earth part two

**A/N) And as promised, here is the update! **

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**Chapter Thirteen: **The Stolen Earth _(part two)_

The last thing Rose expected at the end of the world was for her phone to ring. "Jack?"

"Rose! Thank god you're still alive!" He swallowed. "The Daleks... I have to tell you... You have to get out of UNIT now!"

"Why? We can't do anything!" said Rose. "Not against this. Not without the Doctor. He was here, Jack, seconds before the Earth was moved. In this room. But he was in the TARDIS at the time – it wasn't bought with us! And we can't get through to him."

Jack was desperate, his voice frantic. "Listen to me! The Daleks are targeting military bases. They've already taken New York –"

"What's happened to Martha?!" she demanded. Silence from the other end. "Jack! I know you know something! Tell me!"

"Project Indigo was activated," he said sombrely.

"I don't even know what that is! Tell me!" Now Rose was worrying.

Jack sighed. "It's the project that Martha was working on. It was untested. The General there... he ordered Martha to take it and get out... I tried to tell her it wasn't safe..."

"Jack!" warned Rose.

"He wanted her to find the Doctor... He authorised her to take the Osterhagen Key but I don't know what that is..."

"WHAT?" Rose understood what it was, what it could do if activated. Martha had been given the means to destroy the world. "Tell me she didn't take it!"

"She did..."

_Oh no..._

"She used Project Indigo to escape but I know it's not safe. It's an experimental teleport which was salvaged from the Sontarans, but they didn't have co-ordinates or stabilisation."

"And what does that mean?" whispered Rose, fear bubbling up in her stomach.

Jack hesitated. "Martha's dead, Rose.

Rose was shaking her head. "No! She can't be!"

"I'm sorry..." said Jack, "but you are still here and you need to survive! Get yourself out of there! I don't know where you can go, but just get away from there!"

Nodding, Rose said: "Okay..." She was still in shock, hardly able to believe that her dear friend was dead. How could that be? She just couldn't believe it... just wouldn't...

"Rose. Promise me you'll look after yourself," ordered Jack.

"Yeah..." she said lightly. "I'll try."

"I don't want to lose you like we've lost Martha."

A lump caught in her throat. "You won't."

* * *

They had taken Jack's advice, but had informed Colonel Mace that the Daleks were attacking military bases first. Instead of fighting, Rose had urged him to abandon the base and get out, and fight another day. He had reluctantly agreed, but saving his soldiers lives was just as important as fighting the Daleks. They didn't know where to go once they had left the safety of the UNIT base. Malcolm had stayed behind with the other evacuating UNIT soldiers.

"We could go to mum's," suggested Donna, numbly. The extent of the devastation the Daleks had done to London became more and more extensive as they travelled through the suburbs. There were a few bodies scattered around, but not the amount Rose had expected to see. She had imagined the Daleks to kill everyone in sight... but obviously only those who posed a threat to them deserved to die. Whatever they were up to, the Daleks needed the population alive.

"No, not your mother... Not a good idea, especially when we need to try and get word to the Doctor. We need to connect up with someone who could help us and I know exactly who can, an old friend, Sarah-Jane. She doesn't live far from here in fact so we might be in luck."

"Mum will be worrying about me especially after all this..." said Donna. "I told granddad to tell her the truth, tell mum everything about where I've been going. I know she doesn't like the Doctor, but if she knew the truth, she might understand how much of an impact he has on our lives. On my life." She looked Rose in the eyes. "We're gonna get him back, aren't we?"

Rose couldn't answer, for she had no idea if they could or not. The Daleks did not want the Doctor here for obvious reasons, so they were blocking any contact they could make to him in any way possible.

"How far is it to this Sarah Jane's?" asked Donna, her eyes still focused on the devastation around them.

"A few blocks down," said Rose. "But we've gotta be careful. There's no telling what we might run into out here."

"Yeah..."

* * *

"Rose!" Sarah Jane flung her arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug. "I am so glad you are alright!"

"But the Earth isn't," she replied. She pointed to Donna who was standing to the side. "This is Donna, the Doctor's companion. He was here, Sarah, but when the Earth moved, he was inside the TARDIS... It got left behind. I can't get in contact with him. The Daleks must be blocking the signal. We're on our own unless we can find a way to break through and reach him!"

"Come inside. Mr Smith might be able to help," said Sarah Jane, leading the way up to her attic.

"She used to travel with the Doctor?" whispered Donna.

"Yeah, a long time ago, before I was born anyway. We sort of ran into her one day a few years ago... I've come to rely on Sarah Jane whenever I need her. It always helps to hook up with people who used to be like us. Or like me anyway, not you, 'cos you're still travelling."

"If we get him back," added Donna.

Before Rose could answer her phone rang. She glanced quizzically at Donna and pulled it out of her pocket, stopping on the stairs to do so. Sarah Jane waited at the top. As soon as she saw the name of the caller, Rose's heart skipped a beat. "Yes!" She flipped it open, answering the call. "Hello?"

"ROSE! Thank goodness you're all right!"

"Martha! Jack told me you were dead!" laughed Rose in relief. "Where are you?"

"At mum's. I know I was in New York not that long ago... but the device I used _knew _where I wanted to be and bought me there! I'm in London and I was halfway across the world like thirty minutes ago! Where are you?"

"Sarah Jane's. We evacuated our base. Jack told us to not fight. I haven't heard from him since. We thought it best to come here."

"We? As in you and Malcolm?" asked Martha, her voice a sow of confusion. Rose could imagine her friend with a quizzical expression on her face.

"No. Donna. The Doctor was here but he's not now. We're trying to get him back. I didn't know what else to do!" said Rose, leaning back against the wall. She could feel tears threatening to build up around her eyes and she sniffed, fighting the desire to let them pour out.

"You did the right thing, Rose. I'd have done the same," she replied. "Anyway, I'd better go. I've got something to do. Something important."

Rose swallowed. "You're really gonna do it? The Osterhagen Key?"

"Someone's got to," swallowed Martha. "If we can't stop this... It's the only way."

Rose's whole body was shaking. _How could her friend make such a terrible choice? _But she knew why. If they couldn't get the Doctor here, destroying the Earth and foiling the Dalek's plan was the only way. Mass suicide. "I hope you don't have to do this..."

"I'll wait for as long as I can... I'm sorry." Martha hung up.

Rose could tell that guilt was eating away at Martha. She had been given a huge responsibility... one that no human should ever have had to bear. _It must be tearing her apart... _

"Rose?" Sarah Jane's voice cut through her thoughts.

Shaking her head, Rose glanced up at her friend. "I'm fine. Just everything is all happening at once. We have to focus on finding the Doctor, once and for all."

"MUM!"

Startled by the appearance of Sarah Jane's son, Rose jumped, nearly stumbling down the stairs, but caught her balance in time.

"Luke?" Sarah Jane looked up to the next set of staircase which inevitably led to the attic. "What is it?"

"Mr Smith has picked up a signal! Someone's trying to make contact... they say something about a subwave network being open..."

Sarah shook her head, her brown hair falling about her shoulders. "It's just a poor soul calling for help."

"Maybe not," said Rose. "Maybe this is something we can use!"

"We don't even know what it is," protested Sarah Jane.

"I know," replied Rose, "but if someone is getting through the block, they may be our key to finding the Doctor and bringing him back!"

Rose ran up the stairs, past a bewildered Luke, and into the attic. The boy followed behind her, with Sarah Jane and Donna coming last. She didn't even stop to take in the surroundings but did stop when she saw the giant and rather alien computer open against the wall. "Woah. Where'd you get this thing?"

"Just something I picked up and it evolved into this," explained Sarah. She moved forward to the front facing the giant computer. "Mr Smith, process the incoming subwave."

"Processing."

"It talks!?!" Donna's mouth fell wide open.

"The Doctor would be impressed with this!" grinned Rose. She squinted at the image that was slowly becoming more and more clear and gasped as she recognised the woman in the picture. "It's Harriet! Harriet Jones!"

"Isn't she the former disgraced Prime Minister?" asked Donna.

"Well...yeah...but she's a friend of mine. I knew her before she got in Downing Street."

"Oh... The Doctor's influence?" intoned Donna, cocking her eyebrows.

Rose just grinned, lifting her eyebrows up in a gesture of innocence.

Harriet's voice came over the speakers, echoing around the attic. "Sarah Jane Smith, thirteen Bannerman Road. Are you there?"

"Yeah! Yeah, I'm here! It's me!" Sarah Jane glanced quickly at Rose and Donna before adding: "And Rose Tyler is here too, and another of the Doctor's companions!"

They could see on the screen that Harriet Jones was sitting at a table filled with numerous electrical equipment and her hands were moving fast over the keyboard. Rose frowned. "I never took Harriet to be someone with an aptitude for this stuff..."

Sarah Jane turned to Rose, giving her a wink. "It's amazing what you set out to do once the Doctor has changed your life. Her reputation in ruins..."

"She might have been motivated to learn new skills!" finished Rose.

"Exactly, Rose, I was. And it's a good thing I did, otherwise I wouldn't be able to talk to you now. Nor to the other people I'm in the process of connecting you up to," explained Harriet, as she typed away. "Now, let's see if we can talk to each other." Off screen, Harriet pressed a button.

Immediately, Mr Smith's screen divided into four squares. One was Harriet, the other was Jack Harkness, along with Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones, and Sarah Jane was in the third box. Rose cheered and waved when she saw Jack.

"Jack! Martha is alive! She's not dead after all!" she shouted, gleefully.

"What? Really?" Jack was astounded and it was clear he was relieved to hear he hadn't lost a friend.

"She worked it out! How to use that device you told me about! She survived!"

"Hmm." Harriet was typing madly again. "The fourth contact is having some trouble getting through... I'll just boost the signal... that should do it."

The fourth square on the screen fizzled and Martha's image flared to life. Rose squealed in delight.

"Hello?"

She could see Jack, Gwen and Ianto laugh with relief as they saw the visual evidence of Martha's continued existence in front of them. "Martha! It's us! See, Donna's here!" She pulled the ginger-haired woman forward who waved, giving the other a small smile.

"So, Project Indigo isn't safe, Jack?" said Martha slyly. "It's much cleverer then we thought. One second I was in Manhattan, the next I was in my mum's hallway. Maybe Indigo tapped into my mind, because I ended up in the one place that I wanted to be." She smiled lightly, a slight top-sided one. "At the end of the world, I came home, Rose. But then, all of a sudden, the laptop turned itself on."

"Yes, that was me," confirmed Harriet. She picked up a badge that was on the table and lifted it up to the camera view. "Harriet Jones, former Prime Minister for those who don't know me."

"I know who you are, m'am," replied Martha. "I did vote for you."

Harriet ignored that and instead pressed onto business. After all, this was no time for a social chat. The fate of the world hung in the balance. "I thought it was about time we all met, given the current crisis. Torchwood – this is Sarah Jane Smith, and you already know Rose, Jack."

"I briefly met Sarah last year, during the crisis with Harold Saxon," said Jack. "Though, mind you, I have been following what you've been up to since our meeting, Miss Smith. Might I add, nice job with the Slitheen."

"I would've come and visit, but I can't have my boy hanging around people with guns," she replied, her eyes sparkling.

"Considering you've met Jack, Sarah, I'm presuming you already know of Martha Jones, former companion to the Doctor?"

Jack nodded in confirmation.

"Excuse me, but I'm wondering... how did you find me?" asked Martha, hand raised as if she was still

in school. Beside her, her mother sat. She must have joined her daughter when the talk had been elsewhere. Rose nodded to Francine Jones, glad to see that she was safe and sound, even if she did look a little bit fearful of what was now happening.

Harriet motioned to all the equipment around her, sweeping her hand around the room. "This, ladies and gentlemen, is a subwave network. A sentient piece of software programmed to seek out anyone and everyone who can help to contact the Doctor. The Daleks cannot spy on these transmissions. That's the beauty of this network – it is undetectable."

"Harriet," spoke Rose, "we can't get in touch with the Doctor. He was here when the Earth was moved, but he was in the TARDIS at the time and it got left behind. Donna," she motioned to the red haired, "was outside of it, otherwise she wouldn't be here. We can't reach the Doctor through our mobiles... the Daleks must be blocking it."

"Then we have to take on the Daleks," summarised Jack. "Martha, what was that key thing? I mentioned it to Rose when I phoned her as I assumed you were dead... She didn't sound pleased..." he trailed off, locking gazes with Rose.

"No... Jack, you don't want to know what it is. Just leave it, okay?" demanded Rose, her eyes hard, and her arms crossed over her chest.

"If it's the key I'm thinking of, Doctor Jones, do not under any circumstances, use it!" Harriet Jones' tone was formidable, one not to be argued with.

But Rose knew that if it had to be done, if there was nothing else left to defend Earth with, Martha would do it, no matter how guilty she would feel before she turned the key and ended it... She shook her head, trying not to dwell on what could be if they didn't get the Doctor back.

"All we need is the Doctor," stated Harriet firmly. "The Doctor deposed me a few years ago and I've wondered about that for a long time whether I was wrong to fire on the Sycorax... but I stand by my actions to this day, because I knew that one day, the Earth would be in danger and the Doctor would fail to appear. I told him so myself, and he didn't listen."

"The thing is," began Donna, "he was here, but the TARDIS didn't come with us."

"The TARDIS was fixed..." muttered Rose. "To those co-ordinates... and he wouldn't have known what was about to happen... None of this was his fault, Harriet. You can't blame him for not being here, when he was. He just wasn't bought with us. And now it is up to us to stop the Daleks or get him back, if there is a way to do it. He has my old mobile phone, but we can't get through to him."

"That's why we need the subwave," explained Harriet, "to bring us all together. Combined forces against the Daleks: the Doctor's secret army. If we work together, we'll find a way to boost our way through that block and get a message to him."

Rose could see Jack smiling out of the corner of her eye. She knew that twinkle. A brilliant idea had just hit him in the head for sure.

"Hold on, that's all we need to do! We boost the signal! We can transmit that telephone number through Torchwood itself, using all the power of the rift..."

The Captain was cut off by Luke, who had been watching the exchange with fascination but had been sitting quietly. Now he stood beside his mother, hastily firing off ideas that even bounced over Rose's head. That kid was simply brilliant. The boy explained that Mr Smith could link up with every telephone exchange on the planet and that he could get the whole world to call the same number, all at the same time.

"Brilliant! Seriously, Sarah Jane, where did you get him from?" asked Jack. "Are you sure you won't let him come and work for me?"

"When he's older perhaps," replied Sarah Jane. "He's only still at school."

"He's too smart for school," countered Jack.

"He's still my son."

"Okay, okay," interjected Rose. "You two can discuss Luke once this is all over – right? Right now, we've got more important things to think about."

"Excuse me, if I may say something?" It was Ianto, pushing himself in front of Jack's face so he could have their full attention. "If we start transmitting, then the subwave network is going to become...visible. I mean, to the Daleks."

"Yes," said Harriet, her face haggard and weary. "They'll trace it back to me, but my life doesn't matter. Not if it saves the Earth. There are people dying out there, on the streets. We need to begin."

Rose stared at her, full of admiration for this woman. Despite the Doctor ruining her career, she was still willing to help him get here. How could one not respect someone for that? "So, what can we do?"

"Just sit back and let us do the work, Rose," said Sarah Jane. "Torchwood will be the ones to do most of it."

"Of course, they have access to the rift," whispered Rose.

"What is this rift you're talking about?" asked Donna, thoroughly confused by what was going on and probably feeling like she was useless.

"It's kinda hard to explain," began Rose. "There is a rift in time and space located in Cardiff Bay. Torchwood basically sits underneath it. They can control it, so if they activate it, they might be able to break through the communications blackout. And, from where they are, they have practically control of everything anyway."

"Right... so they are some sort of secret agency then?"

"Yeah. Basically."

"Why didn't you just say that?"

Rose shrugged. "Hey, I'm studying to be a scientist. It's what we do. Elaborate more then we need to."

Sarah was typing furiously on Mr Smith's controls, with Luke helping her. Both their hands sweeping over the keyboard like lightening. An array of red dots began to spread across a map of the UK. Luke joyously confirmed that all the telephone networks had been combined into one big wavelength.

Sarah turned to Rose. "Have you got the number we can reach the Doctor on? We need to transmit it to Torchwood."

Rose nodded, digging into her pocket to retrieve her phone. But Martha was already there. "I already had it ready. It's done."

Rose smiled. "Thanks." She looked up at the screen watching as the faces of the people they were corresponding with disappeared as the number Martha had just sent filled the screen, a dialling tone erupting from the speakers around Mr Smith. Harriet had already opened the subwave network to maximum, allowing Mr Smith to make the call. A thought struck Rose as she waited. "Would it help if all of us tried to phone too? I mean, I know we only have mobiles, but...?"

Jack's face reappeared on the screen. "It wouldn't. There's no point. You're not close enough to the rift and its already transmitting the signal outwards into deep space. Yours would still be blocked but from where we are, it wouldn't be, though, thanks to Harriet, all of us are safe from discovery..."

"Jack, what do you mean?" asked Rose, a little fear in her voice.

Before he could answer sparks flew up in his face as flames roared around him as the device he was using to send the signal exploded. He jumped back out of view, smoke obscuring him, but they could still hear his voice over the pops and crackles coming from inside the base. "I think we've got a fix!"

Sarah turned towards Rose, a smile on her face, tears shining in her eyes. "Mr Smith, now at two-hundred percent!" Sparks began to erupt from the super-computer. Sarah moved Luke back behind Donna, grabbing Rose by the arm and hauling her back. "Come on, Doctor! Break through!"

Jack's voice came over the network, regret held within it. "Harriet, Gwen says a saucer has locked onto your location. The Daleks have found you."

"I know. I'm using the network to mask your transmission, as you know Captain Harkness. Keep going!"

Rose felt tears welling in her eyes. How could she let this woman, this wonderful human being who was risking everything to get the Doctor here, die at the hands of some terrible monsters? But she wasn't in a position to do anything. She swallowed trying to ignore the nausea that was rising in her stomach.

Rose watched Harriet on the screen taken a deep breath, even as the side of her house blew apart, scattering debris everywhere. In the background, three gold shapes rolled into the living room. Harriet didn't move, just carried on typing.

The former Prime Minister looked up, straight into Captain Jack's face. She lifted her hand and pressed one last button. "Captain, I'm transferring the subwave network to Torchwood. You're in charge, now. And, when you see him, tell the Doctor: he chose his companions well."

Jack nodded, a small smile on his face, already knowing what Harriet was about to face.

"It's been an honour to work with you all." And then Harriet Jones stood up from her chair and stood to face her executioners. They couldn't be described as anything else. She spoke briefly to the menacing Daleks, not showing any fear in her body language. The transmission cut off as the middle Dalek fired on her, while the other two destroyed the equipment, hiding her death from those watching.

Rose's eyes watered. _A dear friend gone... _

"Jack, have you got the connection? Is anything coming through?" asked Martha from her end.

"Something is being pulled through..." he replied, even as he ran about the Torchwood base putting out the mini fires. "GWEN! Keep an eye on the scanners! If you see a little blue box let me know!"

Even after he said it Gwen's voice came back over the audio link. "Jack! I've got something! Small, blue and a box! The network is trying to link with it!"

Rose was already hugging Donna when she heard the description of the TARDIS. "YES!" They had got him back: The Doctor was here.

And then, the screen where Harriet Jones had once existed, blurred, fuzzed and then the Doctor's image appeared in it. His mouth was open, wide with surprise and delight. He was shaking his head, hardly daring to believe.

"DOCTOR!" Rose yelled.

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?" shouted Donna, her face red with fury, though Rose could tell she was secretly relieved that the Time Lord had made it back to them safe and sound.

"Doctor, it's the Daleks!" said Jack, getting down to business straight away, but giving the Doctor an angry glare.

Everyone started to talk at once, Donna, Sarah Jane, Martha and Jack, all speaking, not giving the Doctor a chance to speak, but all he was doing was smiling widely, happiness reflected in his eyes. Rose raised a hand, preparing to shout over everyone, but then the Time Lord spoke and everyone quietened.

"So, the Daleks, knocked me completely out of the trap they had pulled together. I couldn't get through on my own. Thanks to you, I have done. You are all brilliant. Everyone's here... DONNA! Oh, I'm so glad Rose took care of you. And Martha! And Jack! Oh, and Sarah Jane... I haven't seen you in a long time..."

"OI! Watch it, space man! I can look after myself you know!" Donna yelled, but her eyes betrayed her. How could Donna Noble be angry with him, especially at this time when the Earth's future stood on a precipice?

"Doctor," said Sarah Jane, leaning forward. "What are we going to do? There is an army of Daleks out there collecting people. We don't know what for!"

The Doctor leaned forward. "Sarah – everyone listen to me. I'm going to land. Sarah, where do you live?"

But before Sarah Jane could answer the screen turned white and the Doctor's image was lost amongst static. Rose rushed forward, pounding her fists on the computer. "NO!"

"Mum, there is another signal coming through," said Luke, hesitantly, "from up there."

Rose's heart beat in her chest faster than normal. "It must be the Daleks... they must be hijacking the communication."

They couldn't see a thing on the screen, save for Jack, Martha and themselves. And then a horrible, croaking voice echoed over the speakers and Rose saw Sarah shiver.

"You voice is different..."

"Sarah?" Rose laid a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Do you know him?"

She nodded. "I thought he was dead..." she whispered.

"Who is it?" asked Donna.

Sarah turned a tear-stained face towards the two companions. "It's Davros. The creator of the Daleks."

**To be continued... **

**Please let me know what you think! **

**Next update will be in two days time! **

**the-writer1988**


	17. Fourteen: The Stolen Earth part three

**A/N) **I'd completely forgotten I was having family round yesterday so didn't have any time to update! Apologies for that!

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**Chapter Fourteen: **The Stolen Earth _(part three)_

On the screen, Davros' image replaced where the Doctor's had been. Rose gasped in shock, a hand covering her face as her eyes swept over the hideous creature that was Davros. His face was scarred and his eyes seemed to have been welded together and in place of his two eyes was a cybernetic one, implanted on the top of his forehead. He was sitting in a chair, which from Rose's point of view seemed to be a life support chair which he could control with a cybernetic right hand.

Davros continued, baiting the Doctor. "Welcome to my new Empire, Doctor. It is only fitting that you should bear witness to the resurrection and the triumph of Davros, Lord and Creator of the Dalek Race."

It seemed to Rose that Davros could not see or hear them, but could see the Doctor and was speaking directly to him, but because they were all patched into the network they were able to listen in. The Doctor wasn't speaking and Rose could guess he was frozen with fear. She knew of the Time War. It would bring back bad memories for him, especially if this monster had been involved.

"Have you nothing to say?" asked Davros, his teeth, dirty and grimy as he smiled.

Rose picked up her phone, dialling the number of the phone the Doctor had on him. Dialling... but he didn't answer. She could send a text, but it wouldn't be worth her time; she just had to hope he could pull himself out of the memories that he might be lost in.

"But..." his voice was gravelly as the Doctor spoke over the speakers, as if he was shaking. If only they could see his image... "But you were destroyed... I saw it... in the very first year of the Time War, at the Gates of Elysiem. I saw your command ship flying into the jaws of the Nightmare Child. I tried to save you..."

"What?" whispered Sarah Jane, her face pale, devoid of any colour. "He tried to save him? After what he did?"

"But it took one stronger than you. Dalek Caan himself."

Rose remembered. The Dalek that had survived from 1930's New York. The one that had escaped the Doctor's grasp. She could see Martha's eyes widen in recognition.

"How?" came the Doctor's response, his voice shaking.

"Emergency temporal shift with no co-ordinates took him back into the Time War itself," replied Davros, his voice filled with evil.

"But that's impossible! The entire War is time-locked! No one can go back there!" yelled the Doctor furiously. "Not even me, even if I wanted to!"

"And yet, Dalek Caan succeeded. Oh, it cost him his mind, but imagine - a single, simple Dalek succeeded where Emperors and Time Lords have failed. A testament, don't you think, to my remarkable creations?"

Rose's heart was beating sharply in her test as she heard the agony in the Doctor's answer.

"And you made a new race of Daleks."

Davros smiled a cruel one, flashing the dirty and metallic teeth inside his mouth. Rose shivered not wanting to meet the creature for real. "I gave myself to them, quite literally." Davros pulled open the leather suit he wore, revealing a rotten, emaciated form. "Each one grown from a cell of my own body."

Rose felt immediately sick for she could see his ribs and the beat of his heart. She wanted to switch off the communication but couldn't bring herself too, feeling that she was supporting the Doctor just by listening in to what was going on between the two.

"New Daleks... True Daleks, Doctor," continued the devil. "I have my children, Doctor. What do you have, now?"

The Doctor was silent. He was in shock. "After....all this time," he struggled to say, "everything we saw... everything we.... lost. I have only one thing to say to you. BYE!"

And then he was gone. Before Davros disappeared from the network, Rose overheard him yelling orders: "FIND HIM! BRING THE DOCTOR TO ME ALIVE!"

"Where is the TARDIS going?" asked Martha, speaking up at last, having been quite quiet. Something was on her mind but Rose knew what it was. "Can you track it? Sarah?"

"Jack's gone," said Gwen Cooper, appearing on the screen. She reminded Rose of Gwyneth who she had met upon meeting Charles Dickens. "And we have a problem. There is a Dalek saucer heading straight for us."

"Get out of there!" yelled Rose. "Now!" She whirled. "Damn it, Jack! Where are you?"

"I'm right here."

Rose turned, seeing Jack standing at the entrance to the attic.

"How did you get here?" demanded Sarah Jane.

Jack held up his wrist. "I text Martha instructions to send me two numbers from the Indigo device she has. It unlocked my Vortex Manipulator to get it working again. I jumped here." He held up the large gun he had in his hand, a second one draped over his shoulder. He looked up at the screen, as Gwen returned to the station, holding a machine gun in her grip. "I'll come back."

"Don't worry about us," said Gwen. "We'll fight to the last." A sad smile spread across her face.

"I know," replied Jack. "Ianto. Be careful."

"You too," the Welshman replied.

"Goodbye Jack," said Gwen before cutting the connection.

"They'll be alright, won't they? The Daleks won't get in, will they?" questioned Rose. "You wouldn't leave them if you didn't think they could."

Jack grinned. "Let's just say, Tosh left a present for us that Gwen and Ianto are about to find out about."

"Right... so why are you here?" asked Rose.

"I thought it would be easier for you to get to the Doctor with this." He raised his arm.

"OI! And me!" shouted Donna, her cheeks red at being forgotten.

Rose giggled, despite the seriousness of the situation. "This is Donna Noble. She's travelling with the Doctor, but got left behind when the Earth was pulled here and the TARDIS and the Doctor left behind. If I'm going anywhere, Jack, Donna comes too."

He nodded, accepting the terms that the blonde had put forth.

"Mr Smith, can you give us co-ordinates for where the TARDIS is heading?"

"I can Sarah Jane." The super-computer began to track the blue box that was rapidly falling towards Earth. "TARDIS heading for vector seven. Grid reference: 665 point 779."

Jack was already inputting the co-ordinates into his wrist strap. "Right, who is with me?" He looked between Rose, Donna and Sarah Jane.

"I think it's best if we split up," suggested Sarah Jane. "The Daleks will be tracking him too. They want him alive. If we all go and they do get to him before us then we might all end up being captured or killed. I'll go in my car and meet you there."

Rose nodded. "I didn't think of that, but regardless, I'm going with you Jack. Donna? It's up to you what you want to do. You can come with me or go with Sarah Jane or stay here."

"I'm coming with you. That Martian boy needs a slap around the face for leaving me behind!"

Sarah Jane looked alarmed.

"Don't worry. She won't really hurt him. Give him a little slap on the arm maybe but not the one that she's describing," said Rose.

Sarah Jane did a silent 'oh', turning to grab her car keys and pull on her coat.

"You think?" replied Donna sharply, folding her arms across her chest, frowning.

Rose just grinned already knowing that her friend was joking.

"But mum, you can't go out there. The Daleks..." Luke was forlorn. He didn't want to lose his mother.

Sarah Jane laid her hands on his shoulders, looking him in the eyes. "I know. I'm sorry, but I have GOT to find the Doctor. We need him, Luke. Just, don't move, don't leave the house and most importantly, don't do anything!" She looked up at Mr Smith. "You'll protect him, won't you?"

"I will, Sarah Jane."

"I would so love a computer like that," said Rose. "So would Malcolm in fact." Sadness filled her. "I hope he's alright."

"I'm sure he is. They'll look after him, sure they will," replied Donna, referring to the UNIT soldiers that had been charged with looking out for the wayward scientist.

Rose cast her eyes back at Martha – the last remaining contact on the screen. "I know what you are going to do... I can't stop you can I?"

Martha shook her head. "No, you can't. I've been charged to do this... but I'll wait. I'll give you a chance. I don't want to do this, but someone has to. If the Daleks can't be stopped any other way, I'll have no other choice. I realise you won't tell me if the battle can't be won, but if things go from bad to worse, then I'll make the choice, whether it is for good or for the worse." Tears stung her eyes and Martha blinked them away.

Rose nodded. All she could do was hope that her friend wouldn't have to do what she had been instructed to, but what she could say was: "Good luck. Remember me."

A slight smile on Martha's face. "I will." And the connection closed, leaving her alone in the attic with Jack, Donna and Luke.

"Rose?" questioned Jack. Sarah Jane had already left, wishing them luck. Luke stood to the side, his arms hanging loose at his sides. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah, sure," she swallowed, trying to forget what her best friend was about to do. "Donna, rest your hand on top of Jack's, don't press hard and link your arm through his. We're gonna be dragged through a sort of time vortex and you'll feel dizzy afterwards, but we should get to where the Doctor is. Okay?"

The red-haired nodded, understanding.

With Donna holding Jack's right arm and her palm on top of his hand, Rose linked her arm through the Captain's left, placed her hand on top of Donna's, gave Luke a small smile before she felt herself being dragged through the Vortex and appearing in the middle of a road. Donna and Rose fell to the floor, dizziness affecting them.

The street was a mess. Abandoned cars were parked haphazardly, overturned pushchairs and bicycles littered the pavements and part of the road. Rubbish had been tipped out of the bins and there was silence. Utter silence. The Daleks had already taken the human population of this street away. In the distance a dog barked.

Rose swallowed, standing up wearily on her feet, looking around at her surroundings. "Silence..." Ahead she could see a church and beside it was the TARDIS, parked on the side of the street. A smile spread across her face. "Donna. Look."

Donna and Jack looked and saw the Doctor emerging from the TARDIS, his eyes sweeping his surroundings, not noticing the three people who were watching him from afar. Donna's hand went to her mouth in relief.

"DOCTOR!" she yelled. And began to run towards him, her red hair trailing behind her.

Rose smiled as the Doctor noticed his companion. She could see his eyes brighten, even from this distance, a smile spreading across his face.

"Donna," he mouthed, delighted.

And he too began to run towards her.

But then something moved in the shadows and Rose glanced towards it. Everything had been so silent... so still... They had been the only ones around. They weren't. A Dalek was gliding out of the darkness, its weapon arm pointing straight at the running Doctor. And Rose realised in a single heart-beat what was going to happen. Putting all her strength into her shout, she yelled: "DOCTOR! LOOK OUT!"

The sound of the Dalek's extermination cry reverberated throughout the street.

The Doctor skidded to a halt, but the Dalek had anticipated his actions and the green blast of death hit him, lighting up half his body – his left side. He fell to the ground with a thump. Rose was yelling, running towards his limp form even as Donna reached it. The Dalek exploded in pieces as Jack shot it with one of the guns he carried.

"No, no, oh god, please no!" panted Rose as she stopped beside the Time Lord's fallen body.

"Is he okay?" Donna questioned tentatively.

One look at his shivering form told Rose that he was not alright. "Doctor?" She was afraid to touch him in case she caused him further damage. "Look, I'm here. Jack is too and Donna."

The Doctor was barely consciousness, a painful smile lit up his face, yet despite the bravado he was putting on Rose could see that he was dying.

"Donna, Rose..." he whispered. "I need... to... get... to the TARDIS."

"You can't die," said Rose firmly. "If you do, Martha will kill me."

He panted, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. He was being pulled to oblivion. "I have a chance ... if you get... me... home..."

"Quickly," said Jack, leaping into action. "Donna, Rose, carry him! Now!"

Donna moved to help lift the Doctor, taking his left side, while Rose his right. They hauled him to his feet but he was unable to walk. They had to settle to drag him down the street, hoping and praying he wouldn't pass out and die on them before they reached the safety of the TARDIS.

* * *

The Doctor lay on the floor of the TARDIS, twitching and convulsing in pain. Rose watched, huddled next to Jack, already knowing what was about to happen. He was preparing to regenerate. Despite everything they had been through, despite her resolving to move on from her former life as his companion, she could not stop herself having feelings for him: _this incarnation of the Doctor. _

At a complete loss, Donna just stared. She was distressed, having never really been told what regeneration really was. "There has to be some medicine or something!"

Jack shook his head. "No medicine can stop a Dalek death ray from doing its job – the Doctor was lucky. It only hit half his body, but he has to regenerate."

"Regenerate? I've heard that before," said Donna. "What is it?"

"You'll see in a minute," said Jack pulling Donna back towards him. "He's dying, but it's the only way he can survive what the Dalek did..."

"He can't though!" Rose shouted. Instantly she felt selfish. He had been hurt so much over the last few years that she had always had an incline that regeneration would be the only cure for him. A new body, a new personality might heal him of all the hurts he had suffered... maybe it time for an old life to end and a new one to begin? But part of her couldn't help but not want it to happen.

The Doctor was struggling to his feet, his face white, sweat tricking down his forehead. His right hand was glowing: the sign of an impending regeneration. "It's starting." He could already feel his body responding. He groaned in pain as sparks of it jumped through his system.

"Here we go," gulped Jack. He locked eyes with the Time Lord. "Good luck, Doctor!" And then he pressed his eyes closed, shielding Donna and Rose's with his arms as the Doctor's entire body erupted in a roar of orange flame, exploding from every pore in his skin, his arms, his legs and his head consumed by the rushing, hot energy.

Rose squinted through the crook in Jack's arm, waiting to see who would emerge from the ball of light...

**To be continued...**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**More soon... **


	18. Fifteen: Journey's End part one

**A/N) Journey's End came to five parts in total. It got too long so I split it up more then I have done with the previous episode adapted stories. :) **

**I'd just like to address a few things some people put to me in reviews. :) **

**To _MythStar Black Dragon _- **The reason Rose didn't run towards the Doctor is because she didn't need to. Remember Rose hadn't been fighting for years to get back to him like she had been in the original episode. Donna had more of a right to run to him as she had been left behind at the start of TSE. :)

**To _Son of Whitebeard _**- Thank you for your suggestion, however this story has been fully written. I hope you still continue to read though, despite me not taking up your suggestion, but since this story has been planned for months on end, I knew what was going to happen here and at the end of this story months in advance of writing it :) I hope you enjoy this chapter and the remaining ones :)

**And, onward to the chapter!**

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**Chapter Fifteen: **Journey's End _(part one)_

The Doctor's body convulsed, the flames continuing to shoot from his body. Rose shivered in Jack's grip, waiting for the regeneration to end, to show her his new image, but then the Doctor bent down, his arms pointing towards the hand in the jar he kept with him at all times within the TARDIS. _What the hell? _The energy – the regeneration energy – was being redirected at the jar and then the Doctor stumbled back – the same man.

He _hadn't _changed.

"Doctor?" Rose stepped forward, confusion evident on her face.

"Can someone please explain to me what the hell just happened here?" yelled Donna, her arms in the air, her fingers doing little circles.

"You should have regenerated," stated Jack bluntly.

The Doctor looked up at them. "Yeah, I should have done, but I didn't. I chose not to and usually you don't get to choose. Now, where were we? Oh yes!" He darted towards the console, flinging his arms across the controls. "Davros," he gritted his teeth. "That's right. Him." Darkness clouded his features and Rose saw him shiver.

The Doctor was afraid. Once again he was suffering. Hurt so much, and now he had the Daleks to deal with. Why couldn't they just leave him and the universe alone? It was simple: the universe was not fair to the Doctor. It wasn't to anyone really, but it just seemed like the Doctor had had an unfair share of bad luck. Rose had to briefly wonder if she was the reason for it all. She shook her head, preventing such dark thoughts from getting a grip on her mind.

"Okay, can someone explain to me why that hand in the jar is glowing?" Donna demanded. She was staring at the Doctor, furiously, waiting for answers that he was unwilling to give.

The Time Lord glanced down at the glowing jar. "Oh, right! Hold on." He bent down on hands and knees and blew at the yellow vapour causing it to vanish instantly. He looked up and grinned at his companions, but it was one that was not reflected in his eyes. "I used the regeneration energy to heal myself. My body heals itself before it changes but I have never been able to stop that process before because I've never had my handy-spare hand. If it hadn't been for Jack finding my hand and err, well me taking it back, I would have changed..."

Donna was pointing at the jar, her mouth hanging open with horror. "Don't tell me you had three hands once!"

"Ok," he shrugged, "I won't."

"You did?"

"You told me not to tell you," said the Doctor. "And I didn't. It got cut off and I grew another one."

Donna's eyes bulged. "And that's normal for you?"

The Time Lord didn't answer her question, instead jumping onto the more important topic at hand: namely the Daleks invasion of Earth. "Come on! We can't waste all day standing here talking! We've got a little Dalek problem to solve!"

"Little?" Donna huffed. "More like big problem."

The Doctor shook his head, withholding a laugh. "You're right about that."

* * *

_Knock – knock – knock – knock_

Rose whirled, heart beating in her chest. "What was that?"

The Doctor swallowed; his face paling. "No. Don't remember. Don't think about that _creature..._" he whispered. He looked towards the TARDIS doors. "Someone's outside. They want to come in."

"Dalek's don't knock, do they?" asked Donna.

"No..." said Jack, moving forward. "Doctor?"

"Hold on." The Time Lord was already moving around the console towards the screen. He typed a few keys and came up with an image. A black man, holding a large gun stood outside, and what seemed to be a dimension hopper on a chain around his neck. "Well, well, if it isn't Mickey Smith!"

"WHAT?" gaped Rose. She ran around the console to the Doctor's side, looking at the image on the screen. "It can't be! The walls are closed! You said it yourself!" Despite that, she was smiling. "How can he be here?"

"We'll have to let him in to find out," said the Doctor. He nodded to Jack. "Let him in."

But Rose got there first, flinging the door open. "MICKEY!" He was _really _here, her former boyfriend. "What, how?"

"Hello, Rose," he smiled. He looked older, more mature as if he had grown since Rose had last seen him. "The Daleks are coming."

Rose nodded, letting him into the TARDIS, marvelling at the fact he was here. How? It was impossible.

"Wow, this place hasn't changed one bit." Mickey said, nodding towards the Doctor. "Hello boss." he saluted. He saw Jack hovering to the side. "Oh and you. Just had to be." His eyes met Donna's. "Another girl, boss?"

"OI! I'm not a girl! I am a woman!" corrected Donna, her cheeks flushing red in anger, glaring at Mickey.

He raised his hands in defence but he ignored her response, focusing his gaze upon the Time Lord. "I guess you are wondering how I can be here after you shut the gateways to the parallel world."

"A little yeah..." said the Time Lord.

But before Mickey could enlighten them the power inside the TARDIS cut out, darkness encroaching them completely.

"Oh..." the Doctor began, before being thrown to the grating as the TARDIS titled to the side with a loud of crash. "They've got us! We're in some kind of chronon loop!"

Donna was thrown into Jack, landing on top of him, while Rose crashed into Mickey. His arms automatically wrapped themselves around her, protecting her from what was happening. Automatic his actions, yet she felt safe in his arms.

All of them knew that the Daleks had them. The TARDIS was being dragged somewhere: that much was for certain. One thing was clear: despite the Doctor being shot, probably by an overzealous Dalek, Davros did want the Doctor alive, and Rose was sure her friend was not looking forward to _that _particular meeting.

* * *

Martha Jones stood from her chair and turned to her mother who had stayed completely silent beside her throughout the entire exchange between the companions. "Mum, you heard what I told Rose. I've got to do something. Something that is important." She swallowed, trying not to let the tears consume her. "I've got to go. I can't stay."

"Martha?" Francine's voice was low, scared for her daughter.

"You know who I am mum. I'm not just any doctor. I'm a UNIT doctor and I was given possession of the Osterhagen Key. Please don't ask me to explain what it is to you. It would kill you if you knew the truth. I have to do my job and you have to let me go. I'm so scared, mum, but I'm the only one who can do this. No one else. I'm sorry." She retrieved the Indigo project which she had laid against the wall, slipping it on over her bag and gripping the cords that hung from them in both hands. "Mum, I love you."

"Martha?" Francine stepped forward once more, but Martha pulled the cords and was gone, her mind locked onto the position of where she had to go, no matter what.

* * *

"Well, while I was trying to get back to you," began the Doctor, "I visited the Shadow Proclamation. Considering I was dealing with something on a very huge scale, they were my best option. Once there I learnt that it wasn't just Earth that had suddenly disappeared. Another twenty-three had too."

"Twenty-three? There's twenty-six out there!" said Rose.

"I know," he nodded. "Three of them have been yanked from their timelines as well as space. The planets have been arranged like an engine. The Daleks need the people and all these planets for something. But what?" The Doctor ran his hands down his face in frustration. "I can't work this out! I was lucky enough to come to the conclusion I did and follow the strand to the Medusa Cascade! Lucky that you used the rift to locate me! I wouldn't be here otherwise if it hadn't been for pure luck!"

"Hold on," mused Rose. She glanced at Mickey. "Mickey, you've been in the parallel world. It runs ahead of ours, doesn't it?"

"Yeah... where is this going?"

The Doctor clicked. "Oh, yes! You're running ahead of this universe! You've seen the future, what was it?"

"It's the darkness. No stars. Disappearing one by one as if something is devouring them," answered Mickey, keeping his gaze low. "They were dying. Our scientists studied them. We realised this was something bigger then Torchwood could handle so we made designs to build a Dimension Cannon. We needed you, man. It never worked, whatever we did."

"And then it did," finished Jack. "Because whatever the Daleks are doing now is affecting the future of other dimensions. Yours included."

Mickey met the Doctor's gaze. "The Void was dead. The whole of reality was just crumbling apart bit by bit. But we found something else too."

"What?" asked Rose, her heart beating faster than normal. Why did she have a feeling this was something bad?

Mickey pointed to Donna. "Is that Donna Noble?"

She glared at him. "Yeah, so what of it?"

"The Dimension Cannon could measure timelines, but it was weird... they all converged on you. We could never figure out why or what your connection to the Doctor was. Now I know. You are just like Rose, a companion of his."

The Doctor stood up sharply, concern flitting across his features.

"But why me? I mean... what the hell have I done to have timelines converge on me? I'm a temp from Chiswick!" Donna was genuinely bemused. "Now, space-boy here, has been telling me I'm special. But I don't believe him, 'cos I'm not. I'm just a human being who is completely useless to her own mother!"

"Donna, you're not useless," reassured Rose. "I know you. You're far from that. You're brilliant."

Locking gazes with Rose, Donna glared. "I'm not."

Rose sighed, exchanging glances with Mickey. "Are you sure about the timelines?"

He nodded. "There's no question about it. She doesn't appear like a normal human would in the timelines."

"Maybe it's something to do with the alien I'm floating about space and time with then?!" accused Donna, practically pointing at the Doctor's rather surprised look on his face.

"Rose doesn't appear like you do, Donna," confirmed Mickey quietly.

"Oh." That shut her up.

"I think we're going to have to save this conversation until later," said the Doctor, his brown depths filled with concern. "All aboard the Dalek crucible," he gulped.

The TARDIS shuddered as it ground to a stop. Donna almost fell, but the Doctor grabbed her. They could hear the sound of movement outside the ship. Then a voice echoed through the TARDIS, broadcasting from a Dalek that was just outside of it.

"DOCTOR! You will step forth or die!"

The Time Lord looked at his companions. "I have to go out. All of us. If we don't, they'll get in."

"But you've got extrapolator shielding," pointed out Jack.

"Yeah... slight problem, last time that was useful they were scavengers and hybrids and mad. This time, they are a fully fledged Dalek Empire at the height of its power. They are experts at fighting TARDIS's. Extrapolator shielding will be easy for them to break through." The Doctor nodded towards the door. "Right now, that wooden door is just wood."

"So, boss, we're screwed then?" asked Mickey, his mouth lopsided.

The Doctor clamped his lips together, not answering.

"Your dimension jump, can we use it?" asked Rose, pointing to the device around Mickey's neck. "I'm assuming it's the same thing you used before to go back and forth last time?"

"I used up the last batch of energy trying to find the TARDIS," explained Mickey, genuinely regretfully. "I can use it in twenty minutes but once we go out there, I'm thinking it'll be pretty impossible to use it." He tucked it inside his grey jumped he wore, hiding it from view. The last thing they needed was the Daleks discovering it.

"My teleport doesn't work either," said Jack. "Went down with the power loss."

"Right," said the Doctor, rubbing his hands together. "All of us together? Yeah?" He smiled around at his companions. "Donna?"

Rose turned her head to see the red-haired standing completely still. She had zoned out. Her mouth was open and her eyes were moist as if she was concentrating elsewhere. "Donna?" She stepped forward, looking over her shoulder at the Doctor. She reached out and touched Donna on the shoulder.

Donna jumped, shaking her head. "Yeah?"

"Donna, there's nothing more we can do... you know that, right?" questioned Rose, hoping that her friend knew what had been going on despite having zoned out.

"Yeah, I do."

Once more a Dalek voice rung out around the darkened TARDIS. "Surrender, Doctor, and face your Dalek masters!"

Visibly swallowing, the Doctor took a step towards the door. He was shaking. He was a prisoner of the Daleks. Once he stepped out there, they could do whatever they wanted to him. They could even kill him outright. He'd thwarted them too much for them to keep him alive for long.

"Doctor?" Rose stepped towards him. "It'll be alright."

"No, it won't. They want me dead, Rose. I'm not under any delusions of grandeur. But it's been good. All of you have made me so proud to have known you." He smiled warmly at them all. Rose returned it, her heart feeling heavy in her chest, as the Doctor turned to face the closed doors. He took a deep breath and walked forward, his posture resigned to whatever fate the Daleks had in store for him.

**To be continued... **

**Please let me know what you think! Rather difficult to change this one, but hopefully it will have enough originality in it in the next few chapters to keep people interested! **

**Until next time,**

**the-writer1988**


	19. Sixteen: Journey's End part two

**A/N) And so we continue into part two, in which things just get worse for the Doctor, Rose, Donna, Jack and Mickey..**

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**Chapter Sixteen: **Journey's End _(part two)_

Even as the Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS, Rose saw Donna hesitate and she too stopped, watching her friend closely. Once again she had zoned out. Something was _talking _to her. Jack had not noticed and had already joined the Doctor outside, along with Mickey. She could hear the Dalek's war cries through the open door but she didn't move to join her friends. Donna needed her.

Cautiously, Rose moved forward. "Donna?"

But Donna didn't hear her. Instead she looked away, her eyes focused on the console. Rose moved around beside her and saw a frown decorating her friend's face.

"Donna? Can you hear me? We have to go outside." _No matter how much I don't want to, _she added thoughtfully. She could hear the Dalek in charge – or who she assumed to be – baiting the Doctor, wanting him to snap, to give them an excuse to execute him on the spot. She held her breath listening to what was happening outside and simultaneously trying to break through to Donna, who simply wasn't responding to her.

"Donna? Rose?"

It was the Doctor calling out to them.

"What?"

"Donna?" Rose rushed forward, grabbing Donna by the wrists. "Are you okay? Tell me."

"There's a noise inside my head. Just knocking. I dunno where it is coming from." Donna's eyes widened.

Rose took her hand. "We've got to go. We can't stay here."

Swallowing, Donna nodded. "I know."

But as they walked towards the doors, they slammed shut in their faces. A resounding bang echoed around the TARDIS. Rose rushed forward trying to pull the door open. "It's locked!" She began pounding on the door frantically. "DOCTOR! We can't get out!" Even through the wood, she could hear the Doctor conversing with his captors, his voice getting louder and louder.

"I'm not staying behind!" yelled Donna, joining Rose by pounding on the doors.

They could hear the Doctor talking to the Daleks and its answer chilled Rose. They claimed the TARIDS doors closing on them was not of their design. He was getting desperate. They could hear it in his voice. He was getting angrier and angrier.

"_Stop it! They're my friends! Now, open the door and let them out!" _

But the Daleks were not agreeing with the Doctor. They wanted him to suffer. Her and Donna being trapped inside was just giving them an excuse to punish him.

"_This is Time Lord treachery!" _

"I don't think this is going very well for us," gulped Rose.

"What do you mean?"

"_Me?! The door just closed on its own!" _

"It did!" shouted Rose, hoping that the Daleks would listen but already knowing they had made up their mind that their foe was up to something. "We were coming out! We swear! It just slammed in our faces!" She hated begging to the Daleks but if it saved their lives it would be worth it.

The Dalek's next declaration chilled her to the core and she knew they were dead. _"Nevertheless, the TARDIS is a weapon and it will be destroyed!" _

"Oh god," breathed Donna, hand over her mouth.

"NO!" squealed Rose, banging even harder on the wooden door, trying to force her way through. They had never intended to keep the TARDIS – they were always going to do this. Now she and Donna were trapped inside, unable to get out... "PLEASE! DOCTOR!"

And then they were twisting and turning, struggling to hold onto something. The TARDIS was falling, its two frightening occupants crashing into the console and each other as they fought for balance.

_Oh god, we're falling to our deaths..._ Rose grasped the console for support, praying for some sort of miracle to take place. _Please, Doctor, do something... _

* * *

The Doctor, standing in front of a red Dalek – the Supreme Dalek – glared at it, bringing to the fore all his fury. The TARDIS at fallen through a trap door. He was angry. Very much so, but he was also scared. "What are you doing? Bring it back! Where is it going?"

The Dalek's eye-stalk focused on the Doctor and he stepped back slightly, a jolt of horror running up his spine. "The Crucible has a heart of Z-Neutrino Energy. The TARDIS will be deposited into the core."

"But you can't! You took the defences down! It'll be torn apart!" He was horrified. Rose and Donna had no protection from that...

Mickey, stern look on his face, moved forward. "Rose and Donna are still in there! Let them go! NOW!"

"Let them go!" Jack joined in, having nothing else he could do.

"The females and the TARDIS will perish together!" the Dalek ordered. "Observe!"

Above them a holographic screen appeared and the Doctor moved forward, his eyes fixed firmly on the image of the TARDIS sinking further into a ball of throbbing, fiery energy. His hearts were beating fast in his chest. He could feel his shop dying, calling out to him.

The Dalek continued to torment him. "The last child of Gallifrey is powerless."

But his enemy was correct. He was powerless. There was nothing he could do to save the TARDIS or Rose and Donna from death. _Oh god, I've failed them. I promised Wilf I'd keep his granddaughter safe... you promised Jackie that too... _He swivelled, determined not to give up trying to save his beloved ship or his friends. "Please! I'm begging you, I'll do anything! Put me in their place! You can do anything to me! I don't care! Just get them out of there!"

But the Dalek said nothing. They wanted him to suffer. Moments passed, and the Doctor's hearts beat ever faster in his chest. The voice of the Dalek broke through his thoughts, the menacing voice ripping into his soul like fire. "You are connected to the TARDIS. Now, feel it die."

Trembling, he watched, Mickey and Jack at his side, as the TARDIS continued to sink lower into the energy... its death speeding towards him like a gigantic wave. There was nothing he could do.

* * *

Desperate to save herself, Rose held onto the controls, pressing buttons and pulling levers, anything she could get her hands on. Donna was grasping the pilots chair, her eyes and face filled with fear. Fires had erupted in the grating and the walls were exploding all around them. Smoke filled the air, choking them.

"I am NOT going to die!" hissed Rose, tears sliding down her cheeks. Then the console erupted in an explosion sending Rose flying to the floor. She groaned, hitting her head hard on the metal grating. Lifting herself to her feet, Rose caught sight of Donna, on her hands and knees, beside the console, staring at the hand in the jar. The hand that the Doctor had poured his regeneration energy into.

Rose's eyes widened. "Donna –don't!" But she was too late.

Donna touched the glowing glass: an ethereal glow flew up her arm, consuming her body in orange light. The jar smashed, and the hand flopping to the floor uselessly.

Rose stumbled towards Donna, avoiding a coral pole that fell from the ceiling to smash into the grating. "DONNA! Wake up!" The glow left her friend, feeding back towards the hand on the floor. But Donna didn't seem to notice her surroundings, as if she was immune to it all. Rose turned towards the hand on the floor. Her hand flew to her mouth as she witnessed the fingers of the Doctor's hand twitching. "Oh my god."

"What did I do?" whispered Donna, her brow furrowed.

"I don't know..." whispered Rose, watching as energy sparked out from the hand, tracing the outline of a body – a man. And then the glowing form sat up. Rose sat back suddenly, shocked to see the Doctor sitting there, stark naked. It was him. He was here.

"It's you...!" Donna was amazed, her eyes wide with wonder.

"Oh, yes," said the Doctor.

"You're naked!" Donna's eyes slid away, but Rose couldn't resist having a peek having got over the initial shock of seeing him.

"Oi! No peeking! Not my fault I was born naked!" The new Doctor had seen her inspecting him.

"You were born?" asked Rose.

The Doctor raised his hands, fielding off any further questions. "The TARDIS is going to be destroyed in ten seconds. I suggest you let me do something about it before we all die!" He scrambled to his feet, rushing towards the burning console. He pushed a button and the time rotor began to slide up and down. Instantly, the destruction of the TARDIS ceased.

"There we go! We're safe. Right, if you excuse me, I'll just go and find some clothes. I can't actually go around naked and letting you get a good look, can I, Rose Tyler?" said the Doctor, his eyes twinkling.

Rose blushed, but didn't watch as he ran out the console room.

Donna turned a confused expression towards her. "What just happened?"

"I think – and I'm only guessin' here – that you created a clone of the Doctor."

"Oh."

* * *

"Total TARDIS destruction in ten rels! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! –"

The Doctor kneeled on the floor, panic in his chest, just watching his beloved ship, sinking lower and lower. Shock was on his face, the pain deep inside him – the TARDIS' screams inside his head...

"Three! Two! One!"

The TARDIS faded away. Part of the Doctor's mind wondered why it hadn't exploded, but he could still feel the pain throbbing in his hearts. The connection in his head was lost. She was dead.

"The TARDIS has been destroyed. Now, tell me, Doctor... what do you feel?" asked the Dalek.

The Doctor turned his focus towards his captor, his eyes dark.

"Anger? Sorrow? Despair?"

The Dalek wanted his answer. He lowered his gaze, feeling ashamed that they had guessed correctly. He whispered softly. "Yeah."

"Then, if emotions are so important, surely we have enhanced you?"

Anger ripped through him and he leapt to his feet, spit flying from his mouth. "YOU KNOW NOTHING! YOU TOOK TWO PEOPLE AWAY THAT I LOVE AND KILLED THEM WITHOUT A MOMENT'S THOUGHT! I WILL NEVER, EVER BE LIKE YOU!" He took a deep breath, calming his himself. He locked his gaze onto the Supreme Dalek. "You may as well kill me now."

"No. You must see the end of everything. That is your fate."

The Doctor stiffened.

"And this is your fate!" shouted Jack from behind him. A gun shot went off, and another and two bullets soared through the air, bouncing off the Dalek's exterior.

"JACK!"

The Dalek's weapon focused upon the immortal. "EXTERMINATE!"

The Captain's body dropped to the floor. The Doctor saw Mickey move edgeways, shock in his features. Catching his eye, the Doctor shook his head, warning Mickey to not try anything rash. He mouthed towards him: "Don't try anything."

Mickey nodded, understanding. Underneath the tough exterior, the Doctor realised he was mourning the loss of Rose, the woman who he had loved for so long.

"Take them to the Vault. They are the playthings of Davros, now."

Taking one last glance back at the Supreme Dalek, the Doctor turned away walking in front of Mickey as two Daleks led them away, leaving the body of Captain Jack behind them.

* * *

Rose and Donna stood to the side as the cloned Doctor – now dressed in blue trousers and a burgundy t-shirt – rushing around the TARDIS, fixing everything that had been destroyed or broken by the plunge into what they had both assumed a fiery pit of death. The cloned Doctor was standing on the railings, by the door, wiping away a bit of soot before he jumped down and raced up the plank way towards them.

"All repaired!" He beamed. Then he lifted a finger to his lips. "Shh! No one knows we're here. Got to keep quiet. Silent running, like on submarines when they can't even drop a spanner. Don't drop a spanner." He pulled on his blue jacket, inspecting it. "I like blue, what do you think?"

"You – are – BONKERS!"

Rose stifled a giggle at Donna's reaction.

"Why, what's wrong with blue?"

Donna backed away, her face a picture of confusion. "Is that what Time Lords do? Lop a bit off, grow another one? You're like worms!"

"No, no, no, no, no, I'm unique! Never been another like me! Because, all that regeneration energy went into the hand – " He held up the hand that had once just been a hand in the jar and wiggled his fingers, clearly delighted by the motion. " – look at my hand, I love this hand... But then you touched it – and WHAM!"

Donna jumped out of her skin.

"Instantaneous biological metacrisis. I grew out of you. Still, could be worse."

"OI!" Donna immediately became offended. "Watch it, spaceman!"

"OI Watch it, Earth-girl. Oh!" The Doctor seemed shocked, looking at Rose in confusion. "Odd. I don't sound like that normally. I sound..." His eyes swivelled on Donna. "I sound like you! I sound all... sort of rough."

"OI!"

"OI!"

"OI!"

"Spanners! Shh!" He put a finger to his mouth, silencing her.

Rose edged forwards. "So, are you a clone? Or someone new entirely?"

But he wasn't listening, mumbling on to himself. "Must've picked up a bit of your voice, that's all. Is it? Did I? No. Oh!" He looked shocked as if something had just hit him in the stomach. "You are kidding me, no WAY!" He felt his chest, moving his hand over where the hearts were located. "I've got one heart. This body has got only one heart!"

"So, you're human?" stated Rose. "You're not a clone then? Right?"

"What have I done?" gasped Donna.

"Made me a disgusting human!" replied the Doctor. He poked his tongue out as if he had a horrible taste within it.

"OI!"

"No... wait, I'm part Time Lord, part human..." The Doctor looked amazed at this revelation, but then he focused upon on Donna. "Well... isn't that wizard?"

"I'm gonna ask this again and I wanna answer this time. Are you a clone or not?" asked Rose, folding her arms across her chest.

"No. I'm him, but I'm also my own person. I grew from his hand so I look like him and I am him, but I am not a clone. Oh no. No, no, no, no."

"Right... okay." Rose traded a glance with Donna.

"There was a noise inside my head... ever since the Earth was moved... it sounded like a heartbeat," whispered Donna.

"Oh, that was me. My single heart," said the Doctor, waving his hands dismissively. "I'm a complicated event in time and space, must've rippled back and converged on you."

Rose gasped. "That's what Mickey was reading from the Dimension Cannon. He saw the lines!" She grinned. "Donna, you saved our lives! If you hadn't had that connection, you wouldn't have reached out and created him. We'd be dead now if it weren't for you."

Donna met Rose's eyes. "But why me? Why not you?"

"Because you're special," said the Doctor, casually.

Donna sighed, throwing her arms up in the air. "I keep telling you: I'm not!"

"No, but you are, you..." He looked up at her from fiddling with the TARDIS console. "Oh... you really don't believe that, do you? All the times I've told you?" He looked crestfallen. Disappointed. "I can see Donna what you are thinking. All that attitude, all that lip and all because you think you're not worth it."

"Stop it!" snapped Donna.

"You shout at the world because you think no one is listening. Well, why should they?" he continued.

"Doctor, stop it!" Donna's voice rose in pitch.

He smiled gently at her. "But look at what you did... Without you, neither of us would be here now." He frowned, as if something was gnawing at his head. "It's like we were always heading for this. You came to the TARDIS and then you found me again. Your granddad, that wasn't a coincidence! Oh, why didn't I see this! You car! You parked it right where the TARDIS was gonna land." He was twirling on his feet now, fingers to his temples. "We've been blind! Something's been drawing us together for such a long time."

"What?" Rose was flabbergasted.

"You're talking like this was destiny. But there's no such thing, is there?"

"The pattern isn't finished. The strands are still joining together, but what are they heading for?"

* * *

Standing in the centre of a darkly lit room, the Doctor and Mickey, hands at their sides, watched as the Daleks circled them. A beam of light engulfed them both separately. Trapped within a force-field, the only thing they could do was twist in a circle or sit down on the floor. Both stood in the centre of their separate force-field prisons.

"So, Mickey, how did you find us?" asked the Doctor. Probably not the place to get into a personal conversation, but he had to know how Mickey had found the TARDIS in the first place.

"I was looking for Rose and for the TARDIS. Figured she'd be with you. No boundaries between the universes now, I can communicate with base back home. They located the TARDIS, gave me the co-ordinates and I jumped."

"Oh."

Mickey looked towards the Doctor, his eyes hard. "Why isn't Rose travelling with you anymore?"

The Doctor's eyes widened in astonishment, his mouth falling open in surprise. "How'd you know that?"

Mickey shrugged. "I saved Donna's mother and granddad from being killed by a Dalek. We could monitor her family too, though they were very faint on the scale with the whole timelines thing. I took a risk to see if they could help us locate you. I went to their house, and then I overheard and saw a discussion between Rose, Donna, Jack and another girl, Martha, with Harriet Jones, trying to get you here. It was made clear to me by Rose in, introducing Donna, that she was your current companion. I still wanted verification from Donna that she was the one we had been monitoring on the TARDIS before I explained everything. But Rose... no... she's changed Doctor. She left you, didn't she?"

The Doctor swallowed, remembering the terrible events that had led up to her deciding to leave him. "Yes... and now she's dead... and it's all my fault. If I hadn't been so stubborn and stupid..."

"She might be still with you, now, Doctor? Isn't that right?" Cackling from the darkness. Davros had been listening in, delighting in the Doctor's pain over his friend's deaths.

The Doctor stiffened, enraged, his mouth thin, his eyes dark, focused upon the monster now rolling towards him out of the darkness. "What do you want with me, Davros?"

"To see you suffer Doctor, for everything you have done to us. You have stopped us time and time again... this time you won't be so fortunate," the megalomaniac explained.

"Why not just kill me now and get it out the way? I have no TARDIS, my friends are dead, I've got nothing! I've SUFFERED ENOUGH!" yelled the Doctor, spit flying from his mouth. "What could you possibly want from me?"

Davros ignored his outburst, instead using the controls at hand, he moved himself in front of Mickey's cell. "And you. You came here to save your universe and yet you hoped that you could once more win the heart of the fair Rose Tyler... It's a pity she isn't here to see this. Dead and burned in the heart of the Crucible. What's it feel like to know you failed her?"

Mickey glared, his eyes burning in righteous anger. "Shut up! She didn't deserve what happened...She was a beautiful girl and I loved her enough to let her GO! And you've killed her. If there is one thing I'll do and that is make you pay!"

"Idle threats do not concern me... I could have you killed boy whenever I desire."

"You're not in charge," stated the Doctor, calmly. "You're stuck down here, while he's up there? Oh no, you may have assisted them in whatever devious plot they're hatching, but you are far from in charge of this particular operation." He was trying to maintain his control. His anger at failing both Rose and Donna was numbing him, but his hearts were full of blackness as he fought to reign in his temper. "If you could have us killed you would do... but you can't. You have no authority here! Something is keeping us alive for a reason and I want to know what that is. NOW!"

Davros stared at him, but the anger in the Doctor's eyes wearied him. "It was foretold," the madman said bluntly. "Even the Supreme Dalek would not dare to contradict the prophecies of Dalek Caan." He pressed a button on his control panel, and a light appeared in a corner.

The Doctor swivelled, his eyes focusing upon the shell that had once been Dalek Caan. The mutation was writhing in its sockets, and in its eyes, he could see that that the Dalek had gone completely insane.

"So cold and dark. Fire is coming...the endless flames..."

"Boss, what is that thing?" asked Mickey. He sounded shocked. After all, he had never seen the inside of a Dalek before...

"You've met before. Canary Wharf. The last of the Cult of Skaro. But it flew into the Time War, unprotected..." the Doctor trailed off. "He saw something. What did he see, Davros?"

"He saw Time in its infinite complexity and majesty raging through his mind, and he saw you. Both of you."

The creature cackled, highlighting ever more that the journey had made the Dalek mad. "This I have foreseen in the wild and the wind. The Doctor will be here, as witness, at the end of everything: the Doctor and his precious Children of Time!" Cackling echoed throughout the room. "And one of them will die!"

"Rose and Donna are already dead," said the Doctor, teeth clenched. "You wanted my companions here to witness the end, but you've already broken this 'prophecy' by killing two of them!" His eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Was it you, Caan? Did you force the TARDIS doors to close? TELL ME!"

"Oh, that's it! The end, the fire, the rage of a Time Lord who butchered millions! There he is!" Davros gloated.

_This is what he had been aiming for... They want me broken... but they don't know I already am... _The Doctor closed his eyes in defeat.

"Why so shy? Show us your true self!" If Davros' eyes could have narrowed, they could have done. "Dalek Caan has promised me that, too."

"I have seen it. At the time of ending, the Doctor's soul will be revealed," cooed Caan.

The Doctor didn't answer, just lowered his gaze.

"Leave him alone." Mickey's voice was hard and even. Protecting the Doctor against the Daleks, despite the death of Rose on his conscience...

"For now... but I will return to this soon, but for now the ending approaches. The testing begins."

"What?" Mickey exchanged a glance with the Doctor, who was looking haggard.

Davros turned away, steering himself away from his two force-field bound prisoners. "The Reality Bomb, of course. Our ultimate weapon."

**To be continued... **

**Please let me know what you think!**

**More soon...**


	20. Seventeen: Journey's End part three

**A/N) Been having a hard time the last few days. Apologies for the delay in this chapter.**

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**Chapter Seventeen: **Journey's End _(part three)_

Rose crossed her arms, glaring at the Doctor. "Look, I know this might be important for you tryin' to figure out how you and Donna fit together like a puzzle, but can't this wait until later? We have a slight problem that is called the Daleks at the moment. And they have the Doctor. And Mickey. And Jack."

The Doctor pulled his hands away from the sides of his head, letting them lie limp at his side. "Right, yes, there are more important things to do. Yes." He swivelled his gaze back to Donna. "We'll figure this out. First we have to get back the other me. Hmm, that's odd... there's two me's. The original, and well, me. The unique me!" he grinned goofily.

"Focus!" shouted Rose.

"Blimey, I never knew you could snap like that!" The Doctor was shocked.

"It's hard not to when your friend's are prisoners of the Daleks," said Rose, glaring. "Now, are you gonna take us onboard, or what?"

He looked up at her, startled by her request. "No. I would be mad to give us away."

"You've always been mad fly-boy," muttered Donna, rolling her eyes.

"I heard that!" replied the Doctor. "If we materialise now we risk giving away the advantage that we have now. They think you two are dead. Let them think that for a while longer."

"No," said Rose, her eyes dark. "I won't allow you." She stepped forward, placing a hand on the console, ready to take control if she could. "The Doctor thinks we are dead! He's already hurt and suffering from everything that has happened to him! I can't let him thinking we're dead!"

The Doctor turned on her, so suddenly, that Rose stepped back, afraid by the dark expression on his face. She hadn't seen that type of expression since before he regenerated, just after the incident on Satellite Five. "NO! None of this would have happened if you had done what he wanted in the first place and stayed with your mother! YOU broke him!"

Instantly, Rose's face paled and her breath hitched in her throat. "No, I didn't," she said weakly. "The Master did and if you're really the Doctor, only with a hint of Donna, you would know that's what did him in. And you would know that I regret that choice and if I could make it again, I would, but I can't! I have to live with it, just like you have to live with the memories of everything that happened to you! Like me, you have to learn to accept it! But you can't. You're hurt too much inside from everything that has happened to you." She stepped forward, reaching out to take his hands in hers. "But I want to help you. All of us do. But in order to do that, we have to rescue him, first."

The other Doctor lowered his eyes. "I shouldn't have said what I did. I'm still new. You have to believe me, if we go storming in now, we will lose. I know you don't want him suffering anymore, and I won't have those memories of what's happening to him now. I have the memories of everything he's gone through but they don't hurt me like they do him. I hurt from something else entirely." He sighed.

"Doctor?" asked Rose, lightly. But she could guess. Though he had only been alive for barely more than an hour, she knew he wasn't like the Doctor she had grown to love and then lose, but more like the one she had first known. He was smarting from the Time War and thus far had more anger at the universe then the real one had.

Suddenly, the TARDIS shuddered violently. Rose fell on her rear, Donna grabbing hold of the chair, while the Doctor merely grasped the console with one hand. As soon as the shaking steadied, the Doctor looked at the monitor. Rose got to her feet and hurried to his side, eyes widening as she took in the sight on the monitor.

"What's happening?" asked Donna, confusion evident on her face. "Why are those planet's shining?"

The Doctor swallowed. "The twenty-seven planets... Oh no..."

"Doctor? What is it?" Rose's voice was filled with urgency. "It's bad isn't it?"

"Yeah. It's Z-Neutrinos that have been compressed into a single stream of energy. He can't do this... Davros can't." The planets brightened even more on the screen and then the lights faded completely.

"Nothing happened," stated Donna.

"But something has, and it's bad."

Donna shook her red hair over her shoulder. "How'd you know?"

Rose pointed towards the Doctor, whose mouth hung open in complete shock.

Donna reached forward and shook the Doctor's shoulder. "Hey, are you in there?"

He jumped violently, shaking his head as he did so. "Sorry..." he took a long deep breath. "Davros just did something terrible... It was a test... but if he carried on..." He shuddered.

"Doctor?" Rose took his hand. "You have to tell us. We need to know how we can stop it."

"Every atom in existence is bound by an electrical field. You know that, right?"

Rose nodded in understanding.

"Whatever _weapon,_" he spat, "they have in there must have cancel it out so the entire structure starts to unravel. Nothing happened visibly so they were testing on something small. But if they expand it..."

"It will dissolve every form of matter," whispered Rose, shock registering on her features. "They want to destroy every living thing in the universe."

"It's what that Mickey said. The stars are going out. Is that what they are doing?" confirmed Donna.

The Doctor nodded. "In Mickey's future it is already happening, but because his universe is running ahead of ours, we're not feeling the effects or seeing it yet, but he is, because while he was there, he wasn't able to help us, so to all intents and purposes the universe would have ended!"

Donna crinkled her eyebrows. "In English please!"

"Basically, it's what you said," elaborated the Doctor. "The stars are going out."

"The destruction of reality itself..." whispered the Doctor, more to himself then to his companions. "They're planning on blasting that wavelength across the entire universe!"

_Beep! Beep! Beep! _

The Doctor grabbed the monitor again as the console alerted him to something else. "They must be doing this now! Getting ready to do it!"

"How long do we have left to do something about this?" swallowed Donna. Even she couldn't see what use she could be now.

"Not long," said the Doctor.

"Right then," grinned Rose. "We'd better get to work then if we're gonna stop the Daleks and save the universe!"

* * *

Martha Jones, member of UNIT, sat in the interior of the Osterhagen Station One in Germany. It hadn't been easy slipping through the woods to get to the castle that contained the station, but she had succeeded, only to be stopped by a German woman who had threatened to have her killed as she knew what Martha was about to do, and didn't want her to. In the end, the woman had let Martha go and do her job.

But Martha Jones, a Doctor of medicine, wasn't ready to turn the key that would detonate the planet and hopefully spoil the Dalek's plans. No, she wasn't. There were five Osterhagen Stations scattered across the world, but only three were manned but that was more than enough to set off the warheads buried beneath the Earth's crust. China had managed to send someone out as had Liberia.

Martha held the Osterhagen key up to her face, her dark brown eyes focused upon it. She clenched it tightly in her hand, her heart beating calmly in her chest.

"What happens now? Do we do it?" The Chinese soldier asked. She was scared and frightened and Martha could understand that.

"No, not yet. Before you ask, I have a higher authority I can go to, that is way above UNIT. There is something else that I can do first." She pulled out her mobile phone, selecting Rose's number in the address book and dialled. She had to find out what was going on with the Doctor before she made that final critical decision.

* * *

"OH!" Rose reached into her pocket, pulling out her phone as it vibrated against her hip. She flipped the cap up, looking at the caller's ID before answering. "Martha?"

"Rose, I have to know what's going on. I need to make this choice." Her friend's voice was hard, but filled with sadness. The choice she was facing was breaking Martha's heart.

"Don't do it. I'm with the Doctor, well, sort of. It's hard to explain. He's sort of been cloned, but he's not. Our Doctor is a prisoner of the Daleks, and we're trying to get him back. We're on the TARDIS at the moment, hidden in orbit around the Crucible. Martha, we need a distraction that will stop the Daleks from detonating the universe, but destroying Earth is not the answer."

Donna looked up sharply, and the Doctor stared at her in disbelief.

_Damn, I shouldn't have said that aloud. _"Look, please just distract them. We're working on something. All we need is a bit more time."

Martha was silent, mulling over her friend's request.

"Please don't do this. Remember, we all have choices. You may have been ordered to, but you don't have too," said Rose, quietly and softly.

"I know," whispered Martha, her voice cracking. "I'll wait and try to distract them: to give you more time. But if they start to do this detonation thing of the universe, which cannot be good, then I'm sorry, I'll have to, especially if it's the only way to stop them."

Rose felt tears falling down her cheeks. "I know. Be careful."

"You too. And, Rose?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. If this ends badly, I'm glad I got the chance to know you."

Rose sniffed trying to hold back the tears that were already pouring steadily down her cheeks. "Yeah. Same."

"Goodbye."

The phone went dead, and Rose shuddered. She wiped her tears away from her face with the back of her hand and turned towards the Doctor and Donna. "Don't worry about me. Just finish building whatever you're doing and get us onboard the Crucible. Martha can only distract them for a limited time."

"You said she's going to destroy the Earth," said Donna weakly. "My mum and my granddad, they're down there..."

Rose nodded, her eyes ignoring the Doctor's thoughtful look. "I know, but it is the last option available to us if we fail. Martha is making a huge choice, but she's giving us a window of opportunity to fix things before they get any worse. If the Daleks start to detonate the stars, she will do it."

"The engine can't function without all of the equipment. Take Earth out of the equation permanently, the Dalek's lose," whispered the Doctor. "Similar to what I did during the War. I wouldn't hesitate to do that again."

"WHAT?" yelled Rose, flabbergasted. "You'd do it again? Just to get rid of the Daleks?"

"Yes." His eyes darkened. "They deserve to be destroyed once and for all."

"No." Rose was shaking her head. "The Doctor wouldn't do that... he'd give them a chance. He wouldn't kill them if he didn't have to! Is that what you're doing now? What that weapon you're building will do?" She pointed to the few remaining scattered pieces of metal that was still on the console, waiting to be slotted into the right place on the weapon that the Doctor had said he was going to build, to stop them. He hadn't told her the specifics but she had assumed he would try to neutralise them, not kill them outright, at least not straight away.

Despite all the mental damage that had happened to the Doctor since her choice, she knew he wouldn't just decide like that to kill the Daleks. "You can help them."

He shook his head, screwing another nail in place. "Not these Daleks. They are the height of their knowledge. This," he held the weapon he was building up; it was shaped like a gun, "is a Z-Neutrino biological inversion catalyser. Davros said he built those Daleks out of himself. His genetic code runs through the entire race. If I can use this to lock the Crucible's transmission onto Davros himself..."

"It destroys the Daleks?" asked Donna.

"Yeah," whispered Rose, "but you know that isn't what the Doctor would do."

The other Doctor's eyes glistened darkly. "But it is what _I _would do."

And Rose understood then, that though she was unable to save or heal her Doctor, she could at least save this newly grown one from himself. But she couldn't try that now, not with the whole universe at stake.

* * *

"Are we going to do it?" asked the Chinese woman, her face pale in complexion, her eyes wide.

Martha shook her head. "No, not yet. I know what I'm doing."

"But UNIT instructions say that once three of the stations online, we must –"

Martha cut across the young soldier. "NO! This is my call. I was given the key and only I can activate it. I have friends who are working on trying to stop the Daleks another way, but I've got to distract them, but destroying the Earth is not an option at the moment. Trust me, Ana, I know what I'm doing."

The Chinese soldier went quiet. The other UNIT member at the other station wasn't even saying a word. His demeanour suggested that he really didn't want to be there.

Reaching forward, Martha placed a web-cam on the top of her desk, switching it on so that her face appeared on the computer screen next to her. Then, she started to broadcast, speaking in a clear tone, requesting an audience with the Daleks. "This is Martha Jones representing the Unified Intelligence Taskforce on behalf of the Human Race."

* * *

"Is there any way we can spy on the communications between Martha and the Daleks, so that we know when we've run out of time?" asked Rose, glancing at the Doctor for help.

The Doctor met her gaze, realising that if Rose didn't know what was going on inside the Crucible she would be on edge all the time. "I can, but giving us too much power will give us away to the Daleks... but if they are busy setting up the end of the universe they might be lax enough not to keep track of monitoring reports." He put down the weapon he was building on the edge of the console, and walked round to the computer screen that Rose stood in front of. "Okay, if I raise the power level up to two point five that gives us enough power to connect to any incoming transmissions the Daleks may be receiving. If I press this," he pushed down a red button, "followed by twisting this, it should give us audio from both sides. I can't get you visual though. Too risky."

"Fine with me," said Rose, leaning back against the pilot's chair. She looked at him expectantly. "So, where's the sound then?"

He frowned. "It's just searching for the wave length." He pointed a long finger at the computer screen. Two sets of lines crossed the screen, waving up and down, and then balanced together before voices started to erupt around the TARDIS. Donna joined Rose on the edge of the chair, at a loss, while the Doctor worked.

Martha's voice immediately came to the fore. She was in the middle of apologising to someone. "I'm sorry. I had to."

Davros's cold voice replied, sending shivers up Rose's spine. The sound of his voice caused the Doctor to look up and frown. There was anger evident in his brown orbs. Martha spoke once more, explaining that she held the Osterhagen key and demanded that the Daleks leave the planet and its people alone, or she would use it.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Not exactly what I was thinking by way of a distraction..." Still, Martha's threat might work, if only for a little while. It might forestall them. And then, Rose's heart skipped a beat as the voice of _her _Doctor spoke. He sounded so very broken by his careful reply, asking what it was. She understood that her friend's answer was not going to help him one bit. The Doctor had a preconceived idea of what the human race was like, but now those ideals had first been shaken by her own unwillingness to leave him, and then what had happened on the planet, Midnight, when a group of them had sought to kill him in order to save themselves. He wouldn't be able to understand why the Human Race would plant twenty-five nuclear warheads beneath the Earth's crust... The knowledge that such a weapon existed could literally kill him... She clenched her fists at her side, her eyes dark with anger. She detested the fact that he was always getting hurt. Though she had hurt him, he had begun to heal when the Master had got his cruel grip on him and ripped his mind to shreds. Since then, even something small could affect his recovery.

She was jerked suddenly by a hand on her shoulder. "Rose? You zoned out... you're okay, aren't you?" Donna was worried.

Rose shook her head. "Yeah. I'm fine. Got lost in memories..." She swallowed.

Donna indicated the Doctor with her eyes. Rose simply nodded, but pointed to the screen so that her friend understood that she meant the more damaged Doctor.

She turned her attention back to the communications, realising that Martha was delivering the ultimatum to the Daleks. "I did not think this would be her distraction. Still, I suppose, if the Dalek's don't buy it, she doesn't have to detonate the warheads straight away. I couldn't really have asked Martha to do anything else. Communicating with them was the only way to forestall what they were doing."

"Chatting to them like they are our next door neighbours wouldn't have been good enough?" joked Donna.

Rose allowed a small grin to cross her face and then she froze as over the communications network, was Jack's voice, but it was Mickey's gasp that set her heart thumping. _Jack must have escaped somehow... _she reasoned. But that was not what had set her pulse off because she was certain her former boyfriend had said "Jackie, what are you doing here?"

"Rose, are you alright?" asked Donna, waving her hand in front of Rose's eyes.

"Tell me, did Mickey just mention someone named Jackie?" asked Rose.

Donna nodded. "Yeah... so? What's that got to do with anything?"

"My mum's here. On the Crucible. Somehow with Jack." And even then, Rose knew how ridiculous that sounded, but if Mickey could jump between universes, that meant her mother could do as well, and there was only one reason why Jackie Tyler would do something so foolhardy. "Mum came back for me."

**To be continued... **

**Please let me know what you think! More soon. **

**the-writer1988**


	21. Eighteen: Journey's End part four

**A/N) And so onto the next chapter...**

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* * *

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**Chapter Eighteen: **Journey's End _(part four)_

It was in that moment that Rose really wished the Doctor had managed in getting a visual on the proceedings, but at least she had audio. Her stomach was flipping. The thought of her mother on the Crucible with the Daleks was mind numbing. It made sense, in a way. But how had she ended up with Jack? And what was Jack up to anyway?

"That makes no sense," said Donna. "You've already got Martha saying that she's going to destroy the Earth unless they leave, but now Jack is saying he has some sort of warp thing that can destroy the Crucible. That wouldn't just destroy the Daleks, it would kill the Doctor too! He can't do that!"

"Distracts them though," mused Rose, "gives us more time."

She continued to listen in, hearing the Doctor's question of where they got the Warp Star from. To her utter surprise it was not Jack that answered, but Sarah Jane Smith. Her hand flew to her lips. How had Sarah Jane got on the Crucible? More importantly why was she with Jack? "This is getting weirder and weirder." She glanced towards the other Doctor. "How long?"

"Not much, I'm nearly done," he grunted, as he pushed something into a hole on the top of the weapon. "They just have to keep them busy for a little bit longer!"

Donna's hand gripped Rose's arm. "He's taunting her. That creature... he's taunting her."

Rose swallowed, and heard the cruel voice of Davros responding to Sarah Jane. It came as no surprise to her that she threatened the Dalek creator with opening the Warp Star, unless he let the Doctor go. "This is not helping him," she whispered. "None of this is. I've realised now. The Doctor has changed us all so that we are no longer human in our actions. He wouldn't want Martha doing what she is now, or Jack! God, he must be falling apart."

"Do you want me to stop it?" whispered the other Doctor. He met Rose's gaze.

"We can't, not until we're ready," said Rose.

He grimaced. "Good thing I am then, right?" He held aloft the weapon he had been building. It had a radar dish at the end of it, and a hand hold, with a trigger where one could place your finger. It was not a weapon that Rose was familiar with, but she knew it would do its job, no matter how much she hated the fact that she allowing this Doctor to commit genocide.

"Turn it off, please." Donna turned beseeching eyes upon the second Doctor, motioning towards the screen. "I don't want to hear anymore..." There were tears in the corners of her eyes. "You didn't hear what happened... but I did. Please."

The Doctor quickly rounded the console, pulling out of the audio link.

"Are you going to say?" asked Rose.

Donna shook her head. "No. I'm not burdening you with that. Let's just get aboard that ship and finish this."

The Doctor started to pull levers, pressing buttons as he bought the TARDIS back to full power. "They've activated the planetary alignment field. We have no more than two hundred rels before they detonate!"

"We're gonna get there in time, aren't we?" said Rose as she grasped hold of the console as the TARDIS started to shake, as they sped into the Vortex. "We've got full power, right?"

"Yes," said the new Doctor, his right hand still holding the weapon he had built. "We will get there!"

Rose saw the darkness in his eyes. He was ready to do this. He was so like the first Doctor she had originally met. Not broken, but full of anger. She hated herself for not stopping him, but they had no other option.

The TARDIS rotor slammed up and down as they hurtled towards their destination, then everything grinded to a halt. The second Doctor gripped the gun in his right hand, turned to Rose, nodding towards her, before stepping towards the doors and opening it.

Both Rose and Donna watched the console screen, as the scanners showed them what was outside. The room was filled with Daleks, and Davros was facing the TARDIS. The Doctor and Mickey stood in separate lights, and they could only assume they were cells. The Doctor's mouth was hanging open in surprise as his eyes focused upon the clone of himself that had just emerged from the TARDIS. It was only then that Rose noticed that her mother was in the room as well as Martha, Jack, Jake Simmonds and Sarah Jane. She didn't even want to consider how the Daleks had managed to transport Martha from Germany or how they had succeeded in capturing her mother and the others.

The other Doctor, the one with the gun, started to run forward towards the Dalek's creator.

"Why the hell is he running for?" screeched Donna. "Can't he just point and shoot?"

"Obviously not," whispered Rose. She saw the proper Doctor shout something to his copy, but the other didn't listen. Then something hit him in the chest, sending him backward. Electricity had sparked from Davros's metal hand, winding him. The gun went flying off to the side and Donna was already on her way out. "NO! Donna come back!" She turned her attention back to the console as blue light shot over the downed Doctor, probably trapping him in the same type of cell that the real Doctor and Mickey were encased in.

She watched as Donna ran out of the TARDIS, picking up the gun that had been abandoned. "Oh no..." Her friend had no idea what to do. She couldn't hear what was going on outside, all she could see was the actions of others. She saw Davros raise his hand once more and the same electricity that had hit the new Doctor, struck her friend in the chest. Donna went flying, out of shot. "Oh god."

_What can I do? _"I can't stay in here and watch this going on!" yelled Rose, kicking the TARDIS console with her right foot. "Ow." An explosion caught her eye and she saw the weapon that the new Doctor had built explode in a shower of sparks.

Steeling her jaw, Rose made a decision. She couldn't do anything from where she was, but like Donna, Rose Tyler had once had a gob. She was the only person left able to do something. "I have no weapons, but I still have my mind." She understood that stepping outside would mean the death sentence for her, but at least she would go down fighting, and not waiting for the end inside the TARDIS. Davros had already turned away from the TARDIS, and Rose took her chance. She opened the door as slowly as possible and slipped outside, leaning against the ship as if she didn't have a care in the world. All the Daleks attention was upon the proper Doctor, so no one had noticed her slip out.

Davros was speaking to his prisoners, pointing towards a holographic screen displaying the twenty-seven planets. "Stand witness, Time Lord. Your strategies have failed, your weapons are useless, and...oh – the end of the universe has come."

"He still has one strategy that hasn't _completely _failed yet," said Rose, looking at her finger nails, in utter boredom, though she felt terrified inside. _This is a sure way of saying 'kill me now!' _

"ROSE!" her mum's voice. She hadn't heard it in a long time but she couldn't allow herself to be distracted.

She glanced Jackie Tyler's way, giving her a small nod, then locked gazes with the Doctor. _Her Doctor. _"You know, when I first met the Doctor I would never have stood up to creatures like yourself, Davros. Yet, now I feel secure in knowing that at least I have the courage to do so. I may have no physical weapons on me that can harm you, but I have my mouth and if there is one thing the Daleks do not know about a Tyler, is that Tyler's have gobs. You can kill me, but at least I know that the Doctor changed me to a better person. And that's all the Doctor wants to do: is help you. Being the supreme beings in the universe, do you really want that? Won't you be, well, bored once you've killed everything? You'd have _nothing_ to do! "

_I am totally giving myself the death sentence here... _

Everyone was staring at her in utter shock, surprised by her stance.

"Exterminate her!"

Rose ducked as a green beam arched towards her head at Davros' command and she raced around the TARDIS. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Donna Noble. She wasn't dead, as Rose had feared. The ginger-haired companion stood behind a console, flipping switches. No one had noticed her. Rose ducked once more, moving back the way she had come to avoid her friend from being spotted. Even if she died in her foolhardiness, her feelings told her that Donna Noble _knew _what she was doing.

"ENOUGH! She will be witness to our success." It was the Supreme Dalek, speaking over the intercom.

Rose stopped. That was different. They were letting her live. For now.

"Ten seconds to ultimate detonation!"

_Whatever you are doing over there, Donna, it would be a good idea to do it now! _thought Rose desperately.

And as the countdown reached 'one', the screen overhead went blank, and an alarm sounded, high and shrilly. Rose was already grinning. The universe hadn't been detonated. "Doctor." She caught her Doctor's attention, and nodded in the general direction of Donna, who she couldn't see from her position. He looked over to where she indicated and a grin spread across his worn features.

Donna's voice boomed above the alarm, filled with a confidence that Rose had never heard in her before. "Oh... I just closed all Z-Neutrino relay loops using an internalised synchronous back-feed reversal loop! Basically, that button there!"

Taking the opportunity, Rose moved towards Donna's position, seeing her friend, standing confidently at the controls.

"Oh, and did I say, the detonation is negative! HAH!"

_She sounds like the Doctor... _Rose thought and then gasped as an idea formed into her head. _The other Doctor has a bit of Donna in him... could she have got something of him as well? _It was the only explanation for Donna's sudden brilliance in all things technical.

The brown-suited Doctor was staring at Donna, an incredulous look on his face. "You can't even change a plug!"

Donna grinned, pushing more buttons on the console in front of her. "Do you wanna bet, Time Boy?"

Davros raised his arm, his voice reverberating around the chamber. "You will suffer for this!"

"Oh, I really don't think so!" Donna moved a single finger, flicking a switch. Sudden electricity ran up Davros' metal arm and he shrieked in pain. "Bioelectric dampening field with a retrogressive arc inversion."

Rose raised an eyebrow, grinning madly. She had no idea what Donna had just said but it was clear she had just caused Davros pain.

"EXTERMINATE HER!!!"

Daleks swivelled to face Donna, their guns in their sockets pointing right at her. She merely grinned, typed something and pulled down two more switches.

"Weapons non-functional!" A Dalek screeched.

Donna just shrugged.

"What did you do?" asked Rose.

"Ah, macrotranmission of a K-filter wavelength that blocks Dalek weaponry in a self-replicating energy blindfold matrix!" said Donna.

"I have no idea what you mean," laughed Rose. Her new brilliant really was coming in handy. Donna had the Daleks as playthings in her palms.

"How did you work that out?" The Doctor was shaking his head in disbelief.

"Time Lord. Part Time Lord," said the other Doctor, watching his counterpart. "Like me."

"Oh yes! Part human! That was a two-way biological metacrisis!" Donna clearly loved this. "Half Doctor... half Donna!"

"Impossible..." said the Doctor. "Wait... my hand. Regeneration energy poured into it... you touched it. Oh."

"Worked it out yet?" grinned Rose.

The Doctor whacked his head with his hand. "Of course! The Ood! They saw it coming! They said it! The Doctor-Donna!"

"I'd vent anger at the fact that you went to see the Ood without me," replied Rose, "but I chose to leave you." She saw her mother's reaction at her words and she tossed her a small smile.

"Okay... Holding Cells deactivated," said Donna, flicking more switches. "And I'm sealing the Vault so your buddies up there can't come down." She looked between the two Doctors. "Well, don't just stand there, you skinny boys in suits – get to work!"

Both Doctors glanced at one another before dashing to join Donna at the control panel she occupied.

Davros was yelling again, ordering his Daleks to get them away from the controls.

Once more Donna, lazily, flicked a switch. The effect was instantaneous. The Daleks started to spin, unable to control their movements. The effect was quite hilarious. "And the other way!" The Daleks started to spin in a different direction, their upper and lower halves facing and twisting in varying ways.

"What did you do?" asked the new Doctor.

"I trip-stitched the circuit breaker in the psycho-kinetic threshold manipulator!" explained Donna.

"But that's brilliant!" beamed the new Doctor.

"Why did I never think of that?" asked the Doctor.

Donna raised both her hands, and pointed a finger each at the two Doctors. "Because you two... were just Time Lords! You dumbos. You lack that little bit of Human, that gut instinct that goes hand-in-hand with planet Earth. I could think of ideas that you two couldn't dream of in a million years! Ah, the universe has been waiting for me! Now... let's send that trip-stitch all over the ship. Did I ever tell you – " She gestured at herself. "Best temp in Chiswick?" She wiggled her fingers in a typing motion, her face pulled into a grin. "A hundred words per minute!"

As the Daleks continued to roll around uncontrollably, shouting they were having a system malfunction, Rose saw Jack dart into the TARDIS. She caught her mother's eyes, and knowing she was safe from being hurt she ran towards her, throwing her arms around her. "Mum!" She buried her face in Jackie's shoulder. She pulled back, her eyes shining with tears. "How did you get here? And Jake Simmonds too?"

"The same way Mickey did, sweetheart. We jumped," replied Jackie, as she pulled Rose in for another hug. "I've missed you." She touched Rose's cheek, wiping away the single tear that was falling down her face.

"Me too. I never even got to say a proper goodbye," sniffed Rose. "I could off... There was one last crack in the universe that the Doctor had to close manually and he did ask if I wanted to see you one last time... I chose not to, and I hated myself for that."

"Oh, Rose." Jackie ran a hand through her daughter's hair.

"One thing I want to know. How did you get here? I mean, here, on the Crucible, with Jack?" questioned Rose. She looked over at Martha, who had been standing to the side, unsure of what to do. "And you, Martha. You were in Germany, now you're up here."

Martha shrugged. "Transmat beam. I dropped the key. I didn't know how else to distract them."

"They wouldn't have let you activate it anyway. They were just humouring you," said Rose. "Mum? Are you going to tell me?"

"Pete told me to stay with him, but I knew if I didn't go, I wouldn't see you. I came here looking for you. Mickey had already gone on ahead. Just before we set off, Jake got a report saying that two Daleks were about to kill someone, so we jumped in, and saved her."

"And that was Sarah Jane, right?" asked Rose, the pieces slotting into place. In the time she had been talking to her mother, Jack had emerged from the TARDIS carrying two guns, throwing one to Mickey. He was pointing his at Davros, while Jack was kicking and pushing Daleks away with the help of Sarah Jane and Jake. Martha too, had pushed at least one away on her own.

Jackie nodded. "Yeah. We found the TARDIS, but then the Daleks took it. So we surrendered and got taken for testing, but we escaped. I had to use my Dimension Jump to get out of the chamber... then the Captain, there, came out of some vents. Then we decided on a plan and got in contact with the Daleks."

"And when they transmatted Martha from Germany, they pulled you lot here too," finished Rose. She smiled; a nice warm one. "I'm so glad you're here."

"I can't stay Rose. Tony needs me."

"Tony?"

"Your brother."

"Oh my god!" squealed Rose, fully aware this was not the time or place to show her delight. "Congratulations!" She threw her arms around her mother once more. "How old is he?"

"He's three," her mother replied.

"Three years?" gasped Rose. "It's been three years since I last saw you?"

"Nearly four," said Jackie.

"Oh my god..." she swallowed. "It's only been two years for me, roughly. A year and a half since I left him..." Had it really been that long?

"What happened, sweetheart?" asked Jackie.

Rose shook her head. "Mum, this isn't the time and the place... I'll tell you later, if I can." She looked around, taking in what was happening around her. Donna, and the two Doctors were still at the console, flicking switches and pulling levers, while Mickey kept an eye on Davros. The others were now standing around the console as Donna worked. "What's going on?"

"They're sending the planets back to their original time and place," answered Martha.

Donna flicked two switches with her hands and one with her foot, lifting it up to the console. She had really become the embodiment of the Doctor. "Off you go Shallacatop! Pyrovillia! The Lost Moon of Poosh! HA!"

"Donna! We're going to need more power...!" yelled the Doctor.

"Can I just ask a very simple question?" Sarah Jane had raised her hand. "It might be the wrong time to ask this... but why are there two Doctor's? What's a metacrisis?"

Donna pointed to the Doctor. "He poured all his regeneration energy into his spare hand, I touched the hand and – " She pointed towards the other Doctor, in the blue suit, who grinned. "-he grew out of that, but energy poured back into me, BUT it just stayed dormant in my head 'till the synapses got that little extra spark, kicking them into life!" Donna looked towards the Dalek creator. "Thank you, DAVROS!" She grinned. "Part Human, part Time Lord. And I got the best bit of the Doctor. I got his mind."

"So there are THREE of you?" asked Sarah Jane, seeking clarification.

"Yup," grinned Rose.

"I really can't tell you what I'm thinking right now," said Jack, his voice indicating that he really wasn't there.

"Jack, I really didn't want to know what's going on in that head of yours," said Rose, one eyebrow raised, and arms folded across her chest.

The Doctor was smiling, a pure genuine one that Rose hadn't seen on him in ages. "You're so unique that the timelines were converging on you. The first ever Human Being with a Time Lord brain."

"Bingo!" grinned Donna.

Rose watched as Davros swung towards a wriggly creature in the corner, bathed in light, sitting on a podium. She hadn't noticed it there before.

"But you promised me, Dalek Caan! Why did you not foresee this?" the Dalek creator announced.

The creature giggled, its tentacles wiggling in the air.

"I think he did," said the Doctor. "Something has been manipulating the timelines for ages, getting Donna Noble to the right place at the right time."

"This would always have happened. I only helped, Doctor!" replied the squirming creature.

"You... betrayed the Daleks?" Davros was incensed.

_Serves you right, _thought Rose.

"I SAW the Daleks," responded the creature. "What we have done throughout time and space. I saw the of us, Creator, and I decreed 'no more'!"

A booming voice rang out over the intercom: the Supreme Dalek announcing its decision to descend to the Vault.

_Critical mistake there, mate. _

And it was. As the Supreme Dalek floated downwards, Rose saw that it was red and completely unaffected by what Donna had done to the other Daleks. That would mean its weapons would be working...

"Davros, you have betrayed us!" it bellowed towards its Creator.

"It was Dalek Caan!" the other pointed towards the Dalek on the pedestal, its tentacles now still.

"The Vault will be purged! You will all be exterminated!" The Supreme Dalek pointed its weapon towards the back of the Doctor. It fired –

"DOCTOR! MOVE!" yelled Rose.

He side-stepped, just as the death ray hit the console where he had been standing. A small fire started, and the Doctor waved it away with his right hand. "ARGH! We've lost magnatron!" By the time he had spun around to face the Dalek that had fired at him, Jack had already lifted his gun and fired, destroying the Supreme Dalek with one hit. "We've got one planet left... Oh. And guess which one!"

"Has to be Earth," pointed out Rose.

"Yup! But we can use the TARDIS!" The Doctor ran into the spaceship, shutting the door behind him.

Rose watched as the other Doctor continued to flick switches. "Holding Earth stability... maintaining atmospheric shell..."

But Dalek Caan's voice echoed throughout the chamber, distracting the other Doctor. "The prophecy must complete."

"Don't listen to him," said Davros.

_He's not going to listen to you..._

"I have seen the end of everything Dalek, and you must make it happen, Doctor!" declared Caan.

"He's right, because with or without a Reality Bomb, this Dalek Empire is big enough to slaughter the cosmos. They've got to be stopped!"

"Just—just wait for the Doctor," said Donna, hurriedly, her eyes worried.

The other Doctor glared at her. "I am the Doctor." He started to flick switches.

"NO! You can't!" yelled Rose. "If you do this, you're no better than them! You're not the Doctor I fell in love with if you commit this act! You say you're him, but if you were, you wouldn't do this. I want to help you, but killing them isn't the answer!"

"Yes it is!" the other Doctor replied and he pulled down a lever. "Maximising Dalekanium power feeds! Blasting them BACK!"

Rose looked around the room. The Daleks that had been pushed to the side and continued to spin exploded in flame, shards of them scattering to the floor. Their yells of pain echoed through her skull. The air was thick with the sounds of their death cries. She shook her head, horror in her features. "How could you?"

"Because I can," he stated, finality evident in his voice.

A creak of a door, and Rose knew that the Doctor had returned from the TARDIS. She braced herself and wasn't surprised when she heard his yell of fury.

"What have you done?"

"Fulfilling the prophecy," replied the other Doctor, with no hint of regret in his eyes.

A massive explosion shook the Vault, sending almost everyone flying to the floor. Rose scrambled to her feet as the Doctor yelled at his counterpart, the fury in his expression evident and his disgust at what the other had done clear in his eyes.

"Do you know what you've done? Now get in the TARDIS!" shouted the Doctor, his eyes locked onto his counterpart as he jogged through the open doorway. "Everyone, all of you inside, now! In, in, in, in!"

Rose was the second one inside the TARDIS after Sarah Jane, and she was followed by her mother, Mickey, Martha and then Jack. Donna sprinted in last, but the Doctor didn't come in. Rose frowned, but then, clear as day she heard him yelling, even as the Vault tore apart, the ceiling falling down and a fire ripping through the centre. He was trying to help _Davros, _promising him that he could save him.

"That's what you should have done instead of killing them all," she said to the other Doctor.

"No. They bombed my home world. I've suffered enough at their hands. It's time for them to die, for good!"

"Then you're not the Doctor," whispered Rose. "Not that one out there who is trying to save someone, even if they are the Daleks! You would have at least offered them the choice, but you didn't! You tried that before in Utah. 2012 remember? When we met Adam? The Dalek there, in that underground bunker, you didn't even give it a chance, you had it set in your mind that you'd kill it. Like then, you condemned the whole race! _The Doctor _would never have done that. Even now he's trying to save Davros even though he won't take his help; at least the Doctor knows he tried to save someone!" She took a deep breath, knowing what she was about to say would seal her future. The Doctor wouldn't allow his counterpart to run through the universe on his own: that she was sure of. "I healed you once, I can do it again. Where ever you go, I go."

The other Doctor was about to reply when the Doctor ran into the TARDIS, straight towards the console.

"Off we go!" He pulled a lever and the time ship shuddered as it starts up. Everyone latched onto the console for support.

"What about the Earth? It's stuck in the wrong part of space!" Sarah Jane was on the case.

"Don't worry! I'm on it!" said the Doctor, his eyes hard. He reached the monitor, leaning into it. "Torchwood Hub, this is the Doctor. Are you receiving me?"

"Loud and clear," came Gwen Cooper's voice over the speaker. "Is Jack there?"

"Can't get rid of him. He keeps dying on me, but always finds a way to come back," said the Doctor. "Jack, what's her name?"

"It's Gwen Cooper," said Martha, before Jack could answer. "I worked with her briefly."

"Oh..." His mouth went round. "Tell me, Gwen Cooper, are you from an old Cardiff family?"

"Yes... all the way back to the eighteen-hundreds," replied Gwen and Rose imagined her to be totally confused by the questioning taking place.

"Thought so...Now Torchwood!" snapped the Doctor, getting back into business. "I want you to open up that Rift Manipulator and send all the power to me."

Ianto Jones leaned round, so his face was partially on the screen. "Doing it now, sir."

"Just one thing," said Jack. "Did the Daleks get to you?" He had to know.

Gwen nodded. "Yeah... But Tosh was working on something before she died. A Time Lock, I think. It stopped them from getting any further into the base. The three that were here just exploded."

"That was my handy-work," said the other Doctor, his eyes dark with pleasure.

The Doctor scowled. "That was not your call to make!" It looked like the other was about to argue, but the Doctor threw him a look that clearly said 'not now' and instead focused his attention towards Sarah Jane. "What's your son's name?"

"Luke, and the computer's called Mr Smith."

The Doctor passed on instructions to the boy, informing him that his mother was indeed alive when asked. He wanted them to harness the Rift power and loop it round the TARDIS. They hit a snag as the super computer stated that it needed access to TARDIS base code numerals. The Doctor's wary expression convinced Rose that what the computer was asking for was something that would take a while. He ran a hand through his hair, but Sarah Jane ran around to the screen and ordered K-9 to come out.

"I didn't see K-9 there when we were in your house..." said Rose, waiting for an explanation.

"Oh, K-9 is on a mission, but he can come out of the attic for a little bit," smiled Sarah Jane. She brushed her hair back behind her ears. "K-9, give Mr Smith the TARDIS base code!"

The Doctor clapped his hands together. "Now then, you lot –" He led Sarah Jane back to her place around the console, pointing to a control. "Sarah – hold that. And Mickey – you hold that. This old TARDIS is always rattling about the place – Rose – that, there."

She placed her hand on the control indicated by the Doctor. Beside her, the other Doctor squeezed in beside her. She looked up at him, giving him a small smile. She was going to look after him. In the brown orbs of his eyes, she could see a hint of regret in them. Her words were obviously getting to him now. _Good, that makes my job much easier. _

"Okay, we're going to fly planet Earth, back home," continued the Doctor, returning to his place at the console, after giving everyone, save for Jackie Tyler, something to do. He reached out and pulled a lever. A terrific shudder shook the TARDIS and then levelled out.

"Are we pulling it with us?" asked Martha.

The Doctor nodded. "We are. The TARDIS is basically weightless. Pulling a planet is easy – and the inhabitants are protected too, though they might feel slightly nauseous when we get back to the right place in space."

Donna strolled around the room, looking over everyone's shoulder. Her newly-required knowledge enabled her to understand how a TARDIS worked and flew. She didn't need to be told, she just _knew. _Rose travelled her gaze over everyone else in the room. Jack was pumping a lever up and down; Sarah Jane was pushing a lever down slowly, and Martha grinned excitedly as their eyes met.

In that moment, it amazed Rose, that despite the impossible odds, they had survived. They had survived the Daleks.

"And... there we go..." said the Doctor, gently, catching everyone's eye. "Earth is back home, where it belongs."

Before she even knew what she was doing, Rose pulled the other Doctor into a hug and just as quickly stepped back in embarrassment. Her cheeks flamed and she moved away, finding Martha in the crowd of hugging companions and pulled her into one big one. She didn't know what she felt for the other Doctor. He was like the first Doctor she had known, but unlike the Doctor, the other could be fixed. He had the memories of the Master, but he hadn't suffered the physical trauma himself and could live with it. Born into a war, his main anger had been directed at the Daleks. She could fix him; Rose knew she could, even if it took the rest of her life.

"Rose, are you okay?" asked Martha, holding Rose away from her face.

Rose nodded, smiling sadly. "Yeah, I am. I think."

She would have to talk to Martha; have to tell her what her decision was. What her choice was. For Rose Tyler knew that the Doctor wouldn't allow his angry counter-part to remain in this universe. He was going to send him away, so that he wouldn't have to worry about him himself. And though that was the coward's way out, the Doctor couldn't deal with him. Especially not in the state he was in.

So it was up to her to fix things, even if it meant never seeing Martha Jones or the Doctor again.

**To be continued... **

**Please let me know what you think... **

**More soon. **


	22. Nineteen: Journey's End part five

**A/N) The final part of Journey's End...**

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**Chapter Nineteen: **Journey's End _(part five)_

"Martha, I need to talk to you."

Everyone was mulling around in the TARDIS, while the Doctor made checks to ensure that the timeline and all the planets had returned to their required places. Martha followed Rose through the TARDIS corridors back to her friend's old room. When she stepped through, the room hadn't changed, apart from the absence of Rose's stuff. The room was still lit with a dull glow, but a single rose lay on the bedside cabinet. A memento from the TARDIS, perhaps?

"I think she misses you," mused Martha, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "The TARDIS, I mean."

"Yeah," agreed Rose, sadly. "She'll miss me even more. And so will you."

Martha looked at her quizzically. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know how I know, I just do, but the Doctor is going to send his counterpart with mum and Mickey and Jake back to the parallel world. A long time ago, I made a choice that changed everything. Before that choice, I helped heal the Doctor. The one that was born earlier, he's just like the Doctor I first met: damaged emotionally from the Time War. I can help him. But we can't help the Doctor, not after everything he's gone through with the Master, with Jenny's death, with that creature on Midnight.... He has to do that on his own. I know that I can help the other Doctor. I'm giving up an awful lot to do this... but this will be the last time I will ever see you. If I'm right, I'll be staying with my mother. Going back to her. You know I've missed her."

"Rose?" Martha spoke up, her eyes shining with tears.

"Please don't make this harder than it already is. I've settled into a normal life. I never thought I could. I was wrong. I'm good at fixing things when I know what I'm doing. I can and will help the other Doctor. And you know what the best thing of all is?"

"What?" whispered Martha, a single tear sliding down her cheek.

Rose took a deep breath. "I can be with my mother again. I can meet the little brother I never had. I'm a big sister, Martha... I've always wanted to be and now I have my chance. I'm giving up an awful lot to do this, but I've got to... He needs me. And I just know that the Doctor is going to send him to a place so far away he doesn't have to think about him. And I think he already knows that I'll go with my mother too."

"You won't be here for my wedding..." sniffed Martha, tears now falling rapidly down her face.

Rose swallowed, unable to contain her own tears. "I know. I'm sorry." She pulled her friend into a hug. "I will always think about you. Every day." She reached up to the back of her neck and undid the silver thin chain that was around her neck. Pulling the necklace off, she lifted it up to show Martha a glowing red gem, that had been mounted on a gold backing. "You got me this gift on Valafax. I want to give it back to you. Not because I don't want it... I do... but it will remind you of me, I hope. Of everything we did, and saw."

Martha was shaking her head. "I can't accept this..."

"Please," urged Rose, taking Martha's hand and pressing the red gem necklace into her friend's palm. "It's the only thing that I have on me. You purchased it for me, but I want you to have it. I've worn it every day since you gave it to me. Look at it like this: you'll be carrying a bit of me around with you." She closed Martha's fingers around the gem.

Rose pulled Martha into a hug, both of them crying. "This is my choice, Martha. And it's the right one. I know it is. No matter how much I'm going to miss you, I'm going to think about you every day for the rest of my life."

Martha held Rose at arm's length. "You're my best friend, Rose. There will never be anyone else like you to understand me." She stood from the bed. "I'll miss you. Best friends forever, eh?"

Rose nodded, and hugged Martha Jones one last time.

* * *

"You're going with Jackie, aren't you, Rose?" Mickey asked, stepping in front of Rose as she watched the Doctor close the door on himself, Martha and Jack. Sarah Jane had already left, having been dropped off at her house.

"How'd you know?" she asked, surprised that he had realised, though instantly realised she shouldn't have underestimated her one time boyfriend.

"Because, I know you, Rose. Besides, you'll have him." He pointed towards the other Doctor, who was leaning against one of the TARDIS pillars. "And if you were staying here, you would have left with Martha and Jack."

"Perceptive," smiled Rose, pulling Mickey into a hug. "God, all I'm doing today is hugging people."

"If you didn't, you wouldn't be human otherwise," said Mickey, returning the hug.

She caught Mickey's eyes. "You know what? That's the nicest thing I've heard in a long time. I was losing my humanity, Mickey... Now I've regained it. It's like I've been given a second chance to correct the mistakes I've made. I'm not going to waste them, even if it means leaving him behind and Martha. I do love the Doctor, Mickey, but things have happened to him, horrible things that are too difficult to explain right now... He'll never be the same man he became after the Sycorax... I know that... but," she nodded towards the other Doctor, "I can help him. Fix him."

A grim smile crossed Mickey's face. "I missed you Rose. A lot. I'm happy we got this one last chance to see each other." He pulled her into another hug.

"Hey, do me a favour," said Rose, pulling a stray bit of hair out of her eyes, "look out for Martha for me. She's my best friend, Mickey, we've been through a lot together."

He nodded solemnly at her. "Goodbye, Rose." He walked away from her towards the TARDIS doors and opened them. He looked back once, gave her a small smile and stepped out of her life forever. A single tear dripped down her cheek.

* * *

Rose still hadn't told her mother that she was leaving her home universe for good. Her mother had been trying to talk to her since Mickey had left, but she had fobbed her off. She would, after all, have the rest of her life to talk to her and she didn't want to get upset when telling the Doctor of her decision.

"We're here," the Doctor softly announced, glancing around at the remaining occupants in the TARDIS, which consisted of Donna, Rose, the other Doctor, Jackie and Jake. "Dårlig Ulv Stranden."

"What does that mean?" asked Rose.

The Doctor smiled sadly. "Rather pertinent I think: Bad Wolf Bay."

Rose gasped. The words 'Bad Wolf' had followed her and the Doctor around. Rose, herself, had become the Bad Wolf. She had named herself as such when taking in the Time Vortex to save the Doctor from the might of the Dalek Emperor.

"If you had decided to say goodbye to your mother before after Canary Wharf, this is where the crack would have come out. Strange, isn't it?"

"Oh," whispered Rose.

The Doctor walked towards the doors of the TARDIS, quickly whispered something to Donna, who opened the doors, letting Jackie, Jake and the other Doctor off. She too, stepped outside and then closed the door, leaving Rose alone with the Doctor.

"I know you're leaving with your mother, Rose," he said. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

She nodded without any hesitation. "Yes."

"There is no way back, Rose."

"I know. But I want to. It's my choice, Doctor. Besides, you can't look after him, can you?"

He shook his head, understanding that Rose was referring to his counterpart. "No, I can't. He's too dangerous to be left on his own. He only has one life, Rose. But you remember, don't you? He's like me when we first met."

"And I can look after him and make him better," whispered Rose. "I feel like I'm disappointing you by leaving you to fix yourself..."

"Rose, I'm damaged. I've been hurt so badly. My mind was ripped to shreds. I'm never going to recover from that... at least not quickly. But you helped. And you know what? I am so proud of everything you've achieved Rose Tyler. Shop girl turned Scientist. Now that's saying something," he grinned. He laid both his hands on her shoulders. "Rose Tyler. I am so pleased that you have stepped into my life." He pulled her into a hug, and she returned it, wrapping her arms around his back.

"If it weren't for you, Doctor, I wouldn't be here now. You changed my life for the better, and yes, I slipped up, but I found myself again. And now I have something to work towards. Looking after you, sort of..." she laughed.

He smiled lightly, reaching over Rose's shoulder to push the door open and Rose stepped outside, placing her foot onto the foreign sand of the parallel world: her new home.

Jackie, Jake and the other Doctor stood in front of the TARDIS; Donna leaning against the blue box, arms folded across her chest.

"So then, Doctor, where are we?" demanded Jackie as soon as the Doctor stepped outside.

"Erm... somewhere in Norway, I think. Sorry, couldn't land anywhere else," he replied, looking a bit sheepish.

They stood on a beach. It was cold and chilly, and a slight breeze whistled through Rose's hair. She hugged her jacket to her body. "Blimey, is it always this cold here?"

"It's warmer in England," said Jake. "I'll phone Pete, and tell him to get us transport." Jake began to walk away, digging his phone out of his pocket.

"Wait! Tell him that he'll have two extra passengers!" shouted Rose. There, it was done. The decision was final now.

Jackie's eyes found Rose's and her eyebrows went up in surprise. "Sweetheart, what do you mean?"

Rose stepped forward, steeling herself. She glanced back towards the Doctor, and then back at her mother. "I'm staying. Here. With you. I'm not going back. I've said my goodbyes. And it's the right choice, mum." She looked pointedly at the other Doctor in the blue suit, whose hands were stuffed into his pockets. "He's staying too. He needs someone to help him adjust. Help him get better. And I'm qualified for that job. This is what I want mum. I've missed you so much and I know now that you were right, all those years ago. When you last saw me, I wasn't Rose Tyler... I wasn't human... I had changed... It took me a long time to figure out that I hadn't changed for the better...but for the worse. That choice I made all those years ago... It wasn't the wrong one at the time... but I know what I'm choosing now is the _right one._"

"But..." Jackie was clearly surprised by her daughter's decision. "But you won't ever be able to go back. You won't be able to see him again."

"I know. But I have the other Doctor to look after. And a little brother to meet and raise."

Jackie was smiling now, her eyes filling with liquid. She ran towards her daughter and pulled her into a tight hug. "Oh, Rose." She stroked her daughter's hair. "I can't believe this... You're really stayin' here?"

Nodding, Rose added. "Yeah. Positive."

"But why has he got to stay?" asked Jake, still holding his phone in his hand, pointing with the other at the blue-suited Doctor.

"Because he destroyed the Daleks. He committed genocide. He's too dangerous to be left on his own," said the Doctor. "And I can't look after him."

"But I'm you and you made me!" growled the other Doctor, his voice filled with a hint of anger. "I'm your responsibility!"

"You were born in battle – full of blood and anger and revenge. You're not me now. You're me before I became _me_."

"Basically," explained Rose, "you're my first Doctor, but with his face. I helped you once before, and I can do it again, if you let me. You need me, just like he did."

The other Doctor lowered his gaze, the anger leaving his brown eyes. "I look like him and I think like him... same memories, same thoughts, same everything. I've only got one heart... and one life. Do you really want to waste what you have in your home universe on me?"

"Yes," said Rose. "It's my choice. And this is my promise to you. I will work every day for the rest of my life to make you better. And I won't fail you," she glanced back towards the Doctor, "unlike I failed him. You're not as broken as he is. He won't fix in my life-time, but you can, if you let me into your life."

The other Doctor nodded. "Then, I will let you."

"Thank you." Rose turned away from the other Doctor and faced the Doctor and Donna. "Thank you. Donna, look after him, will you?"

The ginger-haired companion nodded, smiling. "'Course I will."

She smiled. Rose reached out and took the Doctor's hands in hers. "I just want to say thank you for everything."

"It's my pleasure, Rose Tyler."

The TARDIS made a grinding sound, its top light flashing. It sounded sick.

"We've gotta go. This reality is sealing itself off. Forever," said the Doctor. He unlocked the TARDIS door, and Donna walked inside, waving goodbye. The Doctor stood staring at Rose, holding the door open. "Good luck, Rose Tyler."

A small smile flitted across Rose's face. "And you."

The Doctor stepped inside the TARDIS, closing the door behind him. Rose stepped back to stand beside her mother and the other Doctor. She took her mother's hand in her own and watched as the TARDIS disappeared one last time. The final time she would ever see it dematerialise. A sadness welled up inside her, but deep down she knew she had made the right choice. Besides she had a promise to keep after all.

"Well," said Rose, "it's you and me now, Doctor."

"Call me John," he said, his eyes still fixed firmly upon the spot where the TARDIS had stood seconds before. Then he focused upon Rose and reached for her other hand, squeezing it gently. "You've given up a lot for me."

"I know," she whispered. "But it'll be worth it in the end. I just know it."

**To be continued...**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**There is MORE to come! **

**More soon... **


	23. Twenty: Farewell

**A/N) This is the second to last chapter of this story... **

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**Chapter Twenty: **Farewell

Four months had passed since Rose had chosen to live in the parallel world with her mother, and Martha Jones still missed her. They had shared a bond that couldn't be broken, forged a friendship with each other through their experiences with the Doctor; it was hard to live day by day without your best friend around. Martha understood Rose's choice. She had always missed her mother and had always wanted to help heal the Doctor. Now she had one that she could help. The choice her friend had originally made to stay with the Doctor after Canary Wharf had shaken his fundamental belief that humans always craved a normal life. He had loved that about the human race – they had something he could never have – and Rose had thrown that all away for him.

That had been the start, and by the time she had realised how much she had changed, the Doctor had suffered so much at the hands of the Master. Rose had to leave in order to find herself again, and she had, yet being able to return to her mother with a goal to fix the other Doctor had completed her. Martha had seen it in her friend's eyes when they had been saying goodbye.

Knowing that her friend was happy and contented didn't stop Martha from missing her, for Rose Tyler should have been here; especially of all days.

For it was Martha Jones' wedding to Tom Milligan.

* * *

"Wow! You look utterly gorgeous!" crowed Jack as he entered the bedroom.

Martha stood in front of the mirror, inspecting herself in the strapless wedding dress she and Rose had picked out, a month before the Earth had been stolen. Her black hair had been curled and fell in ringlets down her shoulders. Her makeup had already been done before she had dressed. To all intents and purposes, Martha was ready to become Mrs Tom Milligan. She looked up at Jack as he approached her. "You're not going to flirt with me all night, are you?"

Jack merely grinned broadly. "Tom is one very lucky man."

"Wish you were in his place?" asked Martha, raising an eyebrow.

"Well..."

There was a knock on the door, preventing Martha from replying to Jack's attempted flirting.

Jack opened the door, poking his head outside before pulling it back and allowing Martha's father, Clive Jones to enter.

"My...I never thought I'd see this day," her father whispered. "Are you ready?"

Martha nodded. "I think so." Her father hooked his arm in hers.

"I'll see you at the party afterwards," winked Jack, as he left the room to join the other wedding guests. He left the door open so that Martha and Clive could walk straight out.

Martha glanced up at her father, her face a picture of happiness, but she was well aware that Rose should have been walking behind her, holding her train. Martha hadn't wanted to replace her with someone else, so she was dragging it along the floor herself. "Are you ready to give me away?"

Clive pulled his youngest daughter into a hug, kissing her on top of her head. "Yeah."

"Good," she replied softly.

Together they walked out of the bedroom and towards the future.

* * *

"Rose? You're not usually this quiet," observed Jackie, placing the bowl of fruit in the centre of the table. "Are you okay? John hasn't said anything to hurt you, has he?"

Rose gawked, covering her mother as sudden laughter erupted from her. "No! I'm fine..." she hesitated. "It's just..."

"Just what, sweetheart?" her mother said gently, placing her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "You can tell me."

Rose took her mother's hand. "Mum, do you remember Martha? You met her briefly. Small, black and full of bubbly energy?"

"Yeah, 'course I do."

"Today, on this date, she's getting married. I should have been there. I helped her arrange it, get everything ready. I should have been holding her train for her... and I'm not there for her." Tears came to her eyes and she wiped them away with the back of her hand. "I'm sorry. I chose to be here with you; it's the best decision I ever made. I have John, I have you, but..."

"You can't help but miss those that helped you and are close to," said Jackie gently.

Rose nodded, brushing her blonde hair out of her eyes. "Yeah."

"Sweetheart, do you know what? I bet Martha is thinking of you too." Jackie pulled her daughter into a hug. "If what you've told me about her is true, she would've respected your choice. And if you hadn't been here, you would have left me to deal with him." She indicated John – the other Doctor – who was standing, leaning against the door frame, arms folded, wearing a blue polo shirt and jeans.

In the four months since his creation, he and Rose had grown closer. He was everything she had ever wanted. Rose didn't even crave travelling the stars, but she knew he did, but he had recently admitted that he was enjoying living a peaceful life and felt sorry for his other self who would be unable to have this peace. Rose still loved the Doctor but she had found herself slowly falling in love with his counterpart and though it hadn't gone beyond a simple cuddle or kiss, there was a definite spark between them. He was still learning to control himself, but the progress he had made was phenomenal. He no longer felt angry towards the Daleks, and now felt some regret to what he did. Their relationship was progressing slow and steady, just as it had done in the old days.

Rose threw him a small smile. "I guess I'm just having an off day."

"You can have it sweetheart. We're all here for you, John included."

"I know."

* * *

Their honeymoon didn't go as planned, but then they hadn't expected an alien race called the 456 to show up and demand that the government turn over a percentage of the children. It was out of Martha's hand, yet she had wished Tom had allowed her to fly home to see if she could aid Jack. He had done fine on his own, but there had been deaths.

One of which Martha had mourned for.

Ianto Jones.

Killed by the 456. A casualty that hadn't been needed. His funeral was held a week after Martha and Tom had arrived home. Family and close friends were invited to pay their respects. Martha hadn't known him well, but she still attended on the request of Jack who wanted her at his side. No one outside the Torchwood Team had known Jack's and Ianto's rather intimate relationship.

Ianto's body had been stored in the Torchwood Vaults, which was customary for any members that had died in the line of duty. His family had not been informed of this as Torchwood had arranged the funeral, as the family's grief had been high.

The funeral, as was any, had been a sombre affair.

* * *

Six months after Ianto's death, Martha was sitting on the sofa, curled up against her husband, watching Law and Order, when the doorbell rang. It was after nine in the evening and it was quite unusual for them to receive visitors that late. Cautious and wary, Tom and Martha approached the door.

The visitor was Jack, standing there in his World War II coat, his face glum, his eyes sad.

"Jack! What are you doing here? I thought you were in Egypt or somewhere exotic!" squealed Martha, pulling him into a hug.

"I came back," said Jack, solemnly. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," nodded Martha. "Tom? Can you put the kettle on?"

Her husband nodded, glanced at Jack. "Tea or coffee?"

"Strong black coffee. No sugar," the Captain replied as he stepped into the hallway. He watched as Tom walked off, disappearing into the kitchen. "How is it going?"

Martha smiled. "Fine. We've been talking about starting a family."

"Oh, that's fantastic," grinned Jack, his eyes twinkling in delight.

Silence fell between them, awkward and unsure. Tom poked his head around the door, breaking it. "Coffee's ready."

Together they walked into the kitchen; Jack settling himself at the table in the middle, drinking his coffee in one swig. He placed the cup back on the table, licked his lips and laid his hands upon the top of the surface. "I'm here to say goodbye." He raised a hand to forestall any objections. "I will be back, but I don't know when. I just need to get away... Ianto's gone... I killed my own grandson to save the world."

"Jack..." began Martha gently.

"No, don't try to convince me to stay. I need to do this. Gwen and Rhys can look after Cardiff."

"Even with a baby on the way?" asked Martha. Gwen was six months gone, and blossoming every single day.

"I've asked Mickey to help them out and I was hoping..."

Martha finished for him. "That I'd help to?"

He nodded, reaching across the table to grasp Martha's hand. "Please." His eyes bore into hers.

"How can I say no?" she asked, glancing at Tom, silently seeking his permission. He nodded. "I'll do it for you, Jack, just promise me you'll come back someday." She pointed a finger right at him. "But you'd better not be gallivanting around the universe for long, all right?"

Jack cheekily saluted her. "Yes m'am!"

* * *

_**Six months later **_

Martha rounded the corner skidding to a halt, leaning her head back against the stone wall. The gun, heavy in her hands felt awkward, but she had to use it, especially for this mission. A rogue Sontaran was on the loose, intent on killing her.

Intelligence had reached UNIT, via information broker, Mickey smith, that a Sontaran had survived the ATMOS crisis, and was holding a grudge against her and now wanted to kill her once and for all. As the UNIT operative that had been cloned, the Sontaran had convinced himself that it was her fault that their plot to turn the Earth into a clone world had failed.

Leaning back against the headstone, Martha gave her partner in crime, a smile. Mickey Smith hoisted the gun in his arms over his shoulder. "You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, apart from the Sontaran trying to kill me!" she laughed, humourlessly. "I hate this, having to handle a gun. It's not me! If Tom could see me now..."

Mickey grinned. "He'd like a feisty, gun-wielding Martha Jones.

"He might already know my feisty side..." she hinted, but she became more serious. "Besides, the sooner we remove this thread on my life, the sooner I can get back to resting an looking after myself before the birth."

Mickey cocked his gun. "We're gonna get that Sontaran."

"Yeah, but we've lost it," swallowed Martha, her eyes searching all around her for any sign of movement that would likely give away their enemies location. She couldn't see him but something prickled at the back of her neck and on instinct she looked up. She gasped, grabbing hold of Mickey's left arm. "Mickey." She pointed upwards.

Above them, standing on a metal walkway that was part of the steelworks the Sontaran had been hiding in, a hammer hanging loosely at his side, was the Doctor. The Sontaran's unconscious form was slumped next to him. His expression was sad, forlorn and even at this distance; Martha Jones understood that he was dying.

He had come to say goodbye.

She cupped her hand to her mouth, grasping Mickey's hand; the gun still strapped around her neck, and pulled Mickey along behind her as she ran towards the Doctor's position, who was slowly descending the stairs from the walkway. By the time they reached him, he was leaning back against the TARDIS, which had been parked close to the walkway he had been on only minutes earlier. His arms were folded across his chest, his expression solemn. She could see the turmoil in his eyes and the pain he was undoubtedly in.

"Doctor?"

"Martha," he acknowledged. "Mickey."

"Boss," the other saluted.

"You're dying, aren't you?" stated Martha, sadly.

The Doctor nodded. "I came to say goodbye, and to thank you." He took Martha's hands in his.

"Thank me for what?" she asked.

"For saving the world," he grinned. "You do it every day and I'm so proud of you." A sad smile came to his lips.

"It is part of my job," Martha laughed lightly. She hesitated, unsure whether to ask him the question that bugged her, but Mickey got there first.

"How'd it happen?"

The Doctor knew what they were asking without even seeking more information. "Radiation poisoning."

"But wait, hold on, when I met you, you absorbed radiation then – it didn't kill you," pointed out Martha.

"Different type of radiation. This will kill me. It already is." He doubled over in pain, wincing, clutching his chest, teeth gritted. "I've got so much I still want to do," he shuddered. "But maybe, after everything I've been through and suffered, it will be a relief... I've done some terrible things Martha... things I can't tell you about... but maybe death will be a welcome relief for me."

"Don't say that!" Martha was horrified by his admission.

He lowered his gaze. "I've been hurt badly... you know that more than anyone."

She nodded, tears springing to her eyes. "I know." _How can I say goodbye to him? _

"I just won't be _me _anymore. Maybe all the pain I've felt in this body will fade away..."

She knew what he meant. Regeneration. He would become someone new, but he would still be the Doctor, but with a different personality and yet with all the memories intact. It hurt to think she would never see _him _again. She brushed the tears away from her eyes and offered him a brave smile. "Thank you, for everything."

A slight smile in return and then he turned away, opening the TARDIS doors, stepping through them and walking away from her forever. Martha clung to Mickey, his arms wrapped around her tightly as they watched the time ship disappear.

Burying her head in Mickey's shoulder, Martha sobbed, letting her tears flow freely, mourning for a lost friend.

**To be continued...**

**Please let me know what you think! Just the Epilogue to go... **

**More soon... **


	24. Epilogue

**A/N) And so here we go, the final chapter to PROMISES.**

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* * *

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**Epilogue**

It had been sudden. One minute he had been standing in the kitchen, the next he was on the tiled floor, curled up into a tight ball, his hands wrapped around his head, as if he was trying to protect himself, whimpering.

Rose was by his side in an instant. "John?"

He didn't answer, just continued to shake.

"Rose?" Jackie peered around the door. She saw John's form on the floor and stepped forward. "What happened? Is he alright?"

"I dunno! He just collapsed!" Rose rested her hand on his shoulder, terrified to move him. Then the shaking stopped. "John?"

He groaned, moving slowly.

"I'm gonna phone an ambulance, sweetheart," Jackie was already out of the kitchen, on the way to the phone in the hall.

"No! Wait. I don't think he needs done," said Rose, as John pulled himself to his elbows and looked up at her. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"I'm fine," he replied, blinking rapidly, as if he was trying to clear his head. "Nothing to worry about."

Rose fixed him with a look. He cringed at her intense gaze, but didn't speak. She sighed. "If it happens again, you're telling me the truth, alright? I know you are not fine!"

* * *

The Doctor stumbled into the TARDIS, his knees weakening, but he held onto the railing, pulling himself forward, towards the console. He reached it, placing his hands upon the smooth surface of the edge and looked up at the time rotor. It would be the last time he would see this ship with these eyes... He could feel the regeneration energy building up inside him, ready to burst.

_Not yet, _he willed himself.

He had sacrificed his life to save Wilfred Mott, Donna's granddad. Trapped in a radiation booth that was about to flood with a lethal dose of radiation, the Doctor had taken Wilf's place in a connecting booth, absorbing the radiation into his body as it had hit. Toxic, it had quickly spread throughout this system slowly, gradually shutting down his body's organs. The beat of his hearts were slower than normal, one barely pumping the blood around his body. He was shaking...

He had said his goodbyes. Donna would live a wonderful life, not knowing what she had seen with him. The meta-crisis would have been fatal for her if he hadn't wiped her memory. Living in ignorance, but she was happy. The Doctor had made sure of that. Sarah Jane would continue to defend Earth; Jack – well, who knew what the Captain would get up to? – Martha would become an award winning Doctor for her future discoveries....

And Rose?

Well, he simply did not know, but he knew she was happy.

He gripped his chest as pain ran through him. He was going, he could feel it.

Slowly, he walked around the console, taking his last steps in this body, taking in the beauty of the TARDIS. He flicked a few switches, setting the time ship into a flight path away from Earth. The amount of radiation he had absorbed would make this regeneration not pretty...

He had suffered a lot in his Tenth life, often wondering if he should end it, especially after the Master had tortured and broken him by ripping his mind to shreds, but now it came to it, the final minutes before he 'died', he didn't want to go. Damaged in the head beyond repair, he had been putting himself back together albeit slowly. He had wanted longer than this, yet he had chosen to save Wilf...

The Doctor took a deep shuddering breath, feeling his body warm as the regeneration energy came to the fore. His right hand was glowing...

_Oh god, why didn't I tell her? _

If there was one thing he regretted and that was not telling Rose how he truly felt about her. Oh, there relationship had changed when she had made that choice at Canary Wharf, but she had excelled since then, managing to turn her life around... If he could have had one day with her, he would have told her the truth.

His body failing, the energy sweeping through, he braced himself.

He opened his mouth, fighting to hold the energy back, just so he could say it. Just once, even though she wasn't there to hear it. "Oh Rose..I..."

But it was too much. He couldn't hold it back. The energy swept forth before he could finish and he exploded in a rush of volcanic energy, the last of his consciousness draining away as his body changed and someone new stepped into his shoes, ready for the adventure ahead.

The Tenth Doctor was gone.

* * *

Rose saw him drop, his mouth open in a wide scream. Two words choked out of John's mouth, " – love you!" He lay on the floor of the landing, convulsing. Rose dared not to touch him, nor did she call for her mother. Her eyes widened as an orangey light flashed briefly over his skin – and then he laid still, his eyes closed.

"John?"

Slowly, he opened them. Blinking, he saw Rose sitting next to him, her eyes full of concern. "Oh...you saw."

"I was walking right behind you when you collapsed," she said softly. "I need to know whether to expect this again or if it's going to be a common thing." She stroked his hair.

"You shouldn't get it again," he responded, sadly.

"And why's that?"

"Because he's gone," replied John.

Even though he hadn't stated who, Rose knew whom he was referring to. The Doctor had regenerated. Sadness filled her. Though he still lived here in this world, walking the road of a normal life, _the Doctor_, the one she had fallen in love with so many years ago was gone. She swallowed, locking gazes with John. "How'd it happen?" She had to know.

"Radiation poisoning," he stated. "I don't know how or why... all I know is that he was in agony... He fought off the regeneration for as long as possible... Still... it's over now. A new man. Maybe his hurts will have gone away, like you've done for me." He sighed. "We still have each other."

A sad smiled crossed Rose's face. "I know." She took his hands in hers and gently pulled him to a sitting position before resting her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around him, hugging him.

_Her Doctor _was gone, but she still had John, who was him in so many ways. They were linked together forever, through better or for worse.

**The End**

**Please let me know what you think! Did you enjoy the entire story? **

**And so it comes to pass that this story, this epic journey I have undertaken with these characters is over. There will NOT be a sequel to this story. HOWEVER, I am in the process of writing a Ten, Rose and Martha story that is set within the time-line of Choices. That should be posted soon. I do not have a final title at present. **

**I just want to THANK EVERYONE, who has followed me on this journey and remained loyal to me throughout Choices and Promises. It has been a fantastic journey. Thank you everyone :)**

**Signing out for the last time on this story, **

**the-writer1988**


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